Corey Haim

Corey Ian Haim ( December 23, 1971 – March 10, 2010) was a Canadian actor, known for a 1980s Hollywood career as a teen idol. He starred or co-starred in a number of films, including The Lost Boys, a teen vampire flick whose title and concept was derived from the Lost Boys of the Peter Pan story. Other films include Lucas, Murphy's Romance, License to Drive, and Dream a Little Dream. He collaborated numerous times with Lost Boys co-star Corey Feldman, and the two starred in a "reality TV" show titled The Two Coreys, which aired on the A&E Network in 2007–2008. He developed a drug habit, and died of an apparent overdose in 2010.

Early life
Haim was born in Toronto, the son of an Israeli-born computer operator and a salesman; he is Jewish. He was enrolled in acting lessons by his mother in an attempt to help him overcome his shyness. Not particularly fascinated by acting, he participated in other activities, such as hockey, playing music on his keyboard, and collecting comic books.

Break in
Haim first broke into mainstream acting playing the role of Larry in the Canadian family-oriented comedy television series, The Edison Twins, which ran from 1982 through until 1986. He made his film debut in the 1984 film Firstborn, which starred Sarah Jessica Parker and Robert Downey Jr. In 1985, He appeared in minor roles in Secret Admirer and Murphy's Romance and had the leading role in a film version of Stephen King's novella, Silver Bullet, playing a paraplegic boy alongside Gary Busey. He earned a Young Artist Award as an Exceptional Young Actor Starring in a Television Special or Movie of the Week, for the television movie A Time to Live.

Haim's major break was in 1986, billed as the main star alongside Kerri Green, Charlie Sheen, and Winona Ryder in the popular movie Lucas. He received a nomination for an Exceptional Performance by a Young Actor Starring in a Feature Film - Comedy or Drama, at the Young Artist Awards for this. Film critic Roger Ebert gave Haim good reviews. Following the success of Lucas, Haim starred in the 1987 television series, Roomies.

In 1987, Haim had a featured role as the younger of two brothers who discover a pack of modern young vampires, in Joel Schumacher's horror film The Lost Boys, alongside Jason Patric and Kiefer Sutherland. The film was well received by most reviewers. Besides gaining Haim more renown, the film began his famous partnership with Corey Feldman. The performance earned him another Young Artist Award nomination, as Best Young Male Superstar in a Motion Picture. In 1988, he starred in two more widely released films: License to Drive, a financially successful teen comedy co-starring Feldman, and the horror film Watchers. Haim won his second Young Artist Award, tying Feldman for the Best Young Actor in a Motion Picture Comedy or Fantasy award, for License to Drive.

Haim and Feldman appeared together in the film Dream a Little Dream. The film spawned the Billboard Hot 100 number one single Rock On for Michael Damian, with the pair appearing in the song's music video. That year Haim released a self-promotional video documentary entitled Corey Haim: Me, Myself, and I.

Decline
In the 1990s, his career moved from cinemas to smaller screens. This began with The Dream Machine, a direct-to-video film released in 1990. He co-starred with Patricia Arquette in the independent sci-fi film Prayer of the Rollerboys. Later direct-to-video films included Blown Away, The Double 0 Kid, and Oh, What a Night. In 1993, he starred in a full motion video game called Double Switch for Sega consoles and Windows computers. Over the next two years, Haim would release sequels to two of his older films; in 1994, Fast Getaway II was released along with National Lampoon's Last Resort. The following year, Life 101 and another sequel, Dream a Little Dream 2, with Feldman, were released. In 1996, he starred in four more direct-to-video films: Snowboard Academy, Busted with Feldman, Demolition High, and Fever Lake. He had a minor role in a television version of Merlin. After releasing both Never Too Late and the sequel to Demolition High, Demolition University (which he produced), he filed for bankruptcy in 1997.

Rebound
Haim attempted to return to the industry in 2000 with another direct-to-video film, Without Malice, with Jennifer Beals and Craig Sheffer. He spent time in rehab. Haim says, "I started on the downers which were a hell of a lot better than the uppers because I was a nervous wreck. But one led to two, two led to four, four led to eight, until at the end it was about 85 a day — the doctors could not believe I was taking that much. And that was just the Valium — I’m not talking about the other pills I went through". The next year, he appeared in The Back Lot Murders alongside Priscilla Barnes. He became the subject of an E! True Hollywood Story in 2001, and made a cameo role appearance in Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star, as one of a range of other former "child stars", including Feldman. In 2002, he guest starred as himself in an episode of the Canadian television series Big Wolf on Campus. He was the subject of a 2004 hit song by Irish band The Thrills called "Whatever Happened to Corey Haim?"

Haim resettled in Toronto. In response to an investigation by The Sun newspaper into what exactly had happened to Haim, he responded saying that: "I'm clean, sober, humble and happy." In 2006, he was ranked #8 on VH1's Greatest Teen Stars. In 2007 and 2008 Haim appeared in an improv/reality show with Feldman titled The Two Coreys. He was nominated for a Viewer's Choice Award at the 22nd Annual Gemini Awards in Canada for his role in it. In February 2008, Haim ran a paid ad in a Hollywood trade publication, Variety, stating "This is not a stunt. I'm back. I'm ready to work. I'm ready to make amends."

In February 2008, filming resumed in Vancouver for Lost Boys: The Tribe to include several scenes with Haim reprising his role as Sam Emerson. He reversed his previous decision to not be in the film, but did not appear until the closing credits.

Feldman stated that he would not work with Haim until he recovered from his addiction. A&E canceled The Two Coreys in July 2008. Amid their estrangement, there were unconfirmed reports that Warner Brothers planned to release a Lost Boys 3, with the Coreys' characters facing off, with Jamison Newlander joining the cast. In fact, Lost Boys: The Thirst would not include Haim.

In 2008, Haim joined the cast of Shark City, which filmed in Toronto with Vivica Fox, Carlo Rota, David Phillips, and Jefferson Brown, and premiered in 2009. He was rumored to be in two films scheduled for a 2010 release: The Pick Up and SAD (Standard American Diet).

Death
At the time of his death, Haim lived in a month-to-month rental apartment with his mother with breast cancer. On March 10, 2010, he was taken to Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, California, and pronounced dead. Los Angeles police said that Haim's death appeared to be an accidental overdose of prescription drugs, which Haim appeared to have acquired from numerous doctors and pharmacies. However, Haim had been ill with flu-like symptoms for two days before his death and his publicist discounted the possibility of an overdose, citing his recent clean living. The coroner attributed his death to pneumonia.

Corey Feldman spoke with Larry King on the day of Haim's death. In the interview Feldman said "...He was his own enemy. I mean, look, a lot of people that are artists tend to be their own worst enemy because we're passionate people... Most recently he's been, honestly, in the best frame of mind that he's ever been in, in the past year..."