AceShowbiz - Arne Olsen, the Canadian screenwriter known for his work on the comedy Cop and 1/2 and the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie, has passed away at the age of 64. His family confirmed he died Saturday in Vancouver due to complications from cancer.

Olsen had a diverse career writing across multiple genres. He often cited the Canadian dramedy Here's to Life! (2000) as one of his proudest achievements. The film, starring Eric McCormack as a retirement-home administrator facing blackmail, earned eight Genie Award nominations and won one.

Olsen moved to Los Angeles at 21 to pursue screenwriting. After graduating from the American Film Institute in 1987, he quickly secured his first professional credit on the 1988 action thriller Red Scorpion, starring Dolph Lundgren. His spec script for Cop and 1/2 ignited a bidding war between Universal and Disney, with Universal winning. Directed by Henry Winkler and produced by Imagine Entertainment, the film opened at number one in theaters in April 1993.

Among his other screenwriting credits, Olsen co-wrote the thriller Black Ice (1992) and contributed to All Dogs Go to Heaven 2 (1996). He was also nominated for a Leo Award for the 2010 sci-fi thriller Repeaters. His television work included the 1997 pilot for Escape From Atlantis on Starz/Encore and a 2002 episode of the syndicated action series Relic Hunter, starring Tia Carrere.

Olsen's final film was the 2018 thriller Distorted from Voltage Pictures, featuring John Cusack and Christina Ricci.

Beyond his writing, Olsen was dedicated to mentoring young talent. He taught screenwriting at Capilano University and the Vancouver Film School and served as a story editor on numerous feature films.

He is survived by his wife, Dianne, and their two children, Ryan and Alyssa.