Corey Haim biography

Synopsis

Corey Haim was born on December 23, 1971, in Ontario, Canada. He took acting classes to overcome shyness and it lead to television work and a starring role in Stephen King's Silver Bullet. In 1987 he featured in the teen vampire film The Lost Boys which marked his first pairing with Corey Feldman. His fame waning in the 1990s, Haim struggled with addiction, eventually dying of an overdose in 2010.

Early Life

Actor. Born December 23, 1971, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the son of middle class parents Judy and Bernie Haim. A shy child, his parents enrolled Corey in acting classes to help him develop confidence. More interested in sports and comic books (he was considering a career as a professional hockey player), Haim didn't see a future in acting. But after watching his sister Carol audition for several roles, Corey decided to try his hand at landing a professional gig. After several tries, Haim got his first big role on the Canadian series The Edison Twins in 1982. Around that same time, his parents divorced. Haim took the separation hard, clinging instead to his professional life.

Big Screen Debut

Haim landed his first big-screen appearance in the American film Firstborn (1984), which starred Sarah Jessica Parker and Robert Downey, Jr. Minor roles in Secret Admirer (1985) and Murphy's Romance (1985) soon followed, as did a starring role in the Stephen King film Silver Bullet, playing alongside Gary Busey. During this time, Haim and his family decided to move to Los Angeles to further his film career.

The next year, his role in the made-for-TV-movie Lucas (1986), which also featured upcoming stars Charlie Sheen and Winona Ryder, earned Haim his first critical acclaim: a nomination at the Young Artist Awards. Haim also had his first encounter with drugs and alcohol around this time, later confessing to tabloid magazines that he began drinking beer on the Lucas set. This would begin an ugly spiral into drug addiction that led first to marijuana, then cocaine and, eventually, crack.

Career Highlights

Haim starred in the 1987 television series, Roomies, which was canceled in its first season. That same year, Haim had a featured role in Joel Schumacher's vampire film, The Lost Boys, which also starred Kiefer Sutherland and Corey Feldman. The film was a popular hit, and critics gave Haim another Young Artist Award nomination for his performance. Haim was also launched firmly into the realm of the teen heartthrob, as was co-star Corey Feldman, who he would go on to star with in seven separate films.

In 1988, Haim starred in two more widely released popular movies, the comedy License to Drive and the horror film Watchers, which also featured Feldman.

Haim and Feldman next appeared together in the film Dream a Little Dream (1989), which was another fan favorite. That same year, in response to speculations about his heavy drug use, Haim released a video documentary about his life entitled Corey Haim: Me, Myself, and I. The film portrayed a squeaky-clean Haim engaging in wholesome, family-friendly activities and speculating about his future aspirations.

Addiction Issues

But Haim's fame waned as he entered the 90s and, after a spell in rehab, doctors put Corey on prescription drugs. The decision led to a more serious addiction to Valium - Haim later claimed he was taking upwards of 85 of the pills a day - and a serious weight gain. After 15 attempts at rehab, the 200-pound Haim suffered a stroke. All the while, the actor was managing bit parts in films such as Prayer of the Rollerboys (1990), Dream Machine (1991) and Dream a Little Dream 2 (1995)

In 2007, after more than a decade of bit parts, Haim signed on to the A&E series The Two Coreys, which investigated the modern lives of Feldman and Haim. In the show, the longtime friends and co-stars discussed their problems and chequered pasts with a therapist, and attempted to revive their shattered friendship. The show aired for 19 episodes before its cancelation in 2008.

Tragic Death

On March 10, 2010, Haim was found unresponsive in an Oakwood, California, apartment after an apparent overdose. According to reports, his mother was also in the apartment at the time of his death. Haim was rushed to a Burbank, California, hospital, where he was officially declared dead. He was 38 years old.