Arne Olsen, Canadian screenwriter who has written films including the Burt Reynolds comedy Cop and 1/2 And start the franchise Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The MovieHe died. He was 64 years old.
Olsen, who worked across several musical genres, died Saturday in his native Vancouver of cancer-related complications, a family spokesperson announced.
He has often said that the highlight of his career was writing and directing Canadian dramatic dramas Here for life! (2000), starring Eric McCormack as a retirement home director who is blackmailed. The film was nominated for eight Genie Awards, winning one.
Olsen arrived in Los Angeles at the age of 21 in search of a screenwriting career. After graduating from the American Film Institute (AFI) in 1987, he quickly landed his first job in the industry, earning story and screenplay credits for the action thriller film. Red scorpion (1988), starring Dolph Lundgren.
He wrote the script specs for Cop and 1/2After Universal won a bidding war with Disney, the film directed by Imagine Entertainment’s Henry Winkler opened in first place in theaters in April 1993.
Olsen was a co-writer on the thriller Black ice (1992) and among the approved screenwriters All dogs go to heaven 2 (1996), receiving a nomination for a British Columbia Leo Award for his science fiction thriller Repeaters (2010).
As he wrote the 1997 pilot for Escape from Atlantis for Starz/Encore as well as a 2002 episode of the syndicated action series Antiquities hunter Which starred Tia Carrere.
His last film was the thriller ‘Voltage Pictures’. Distorted (2018), starring John Cusack and Christina Ricci.
Olsen has mentored many young screenwriters, taught at Capilano University Vancouver and the Vancouver Film School and served as a story editor on dozens of films.
Survivors include his wife, Diane, and children, Ryan and Alyssa.
