Corey Haim | |
|---|---|
 Haim in 2008 | |
| Born | Corey Ian Haim (1971-12-23)December 23, 1971 Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Died | March 10, 2010(2010-03-10) (aged 38) Burbank, California, U.S. |
| Resting place | Pardes Shalom Cemetery,Vaughan, Ontario, Canada |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1981–2010 |
Corey Ian Haim (December 23, 1971 – March 10, 2010) was a Canadian actor who rose to fame in the 1980s as a teen heartthrob. He starred inSilver Bullet (1985),Murphy's Romance (1985),Lucas (1986),License to Drive (1988) andDream a Little Dream (1989). His role inThe Lost Boys (1987) made him a household name.[1][2] Known asThe Two Coreys, Haim andCorey Feldman became 1980s icons and appeared together in seven films,[3] later starring in theA&E Americanreality showThe Two Coreys.
Haim's early success led to money and fame. He had difficulty breaking away from the trauma of his experience as a child actor and struggled with substance abuse. He faced numerous challenges in his adult life, including financial difficulties and ongoing battles with addiction.[4] He died ofpneumonia on March 10, 2010.
Haim was born on December 23, 1971, inToronto,Ontario, the son of Judy Haim, anIsraeli-born data processor, and Bernie Haim, who worked in sales.[5] In 1982, his parents divorced after 18 years of marriage.[6] He had an older sister, Cari, and a younger half-brother, Daniel Lee, from his father's second marriage.[7][8] Haim wasJewish; hisHebrew name was Yechezkel Yehudah.[9][8][10]
Haim was raised inChomedey,Laval, Quebec[11] (a suburb ofMontreal), and, later,Willowdale andThornhill,Ontario (Suburbs ofToronto).[12] There, his mother enrolled him in drama classes in improvisation andmime to help him overcome his shyness.[5] Haim's skill as a hockey player led to his being scouted for the AA Thunderbirds.[12] Haim attended several schools in bothThornhill, Ontario, andNorth York, Ontario (including North York'sZion Heights Junior High), until grade eight.[13]
After accompanying his sister Cari to auditions, Haim was noticed and was offered roles as a child actor.[14] He began performing in commercials in 1981. Later, he played the role of Larry in the Canadian children's educational comedy television seriesThe Edison Twins.[6] Haim made hisfeature film debut in the 1984 thrillerFirstborn as a boy whose family comes under threat from his mother's violent boyfriend, played byPeter Weller.[6][15] Haim's first day of shooting was with Weller, and he attempted to compliment the older actor on his performance. Weller collared Haim, threw him up against a wall, and demanded Haim never speak to him after a take. It took three assistants to separate them.[16] Haim later admitted that he was terrified by the experience.[16] Weller apologized to Haim, saying method acting caused his actions.[17][18]
In 1985, Haim appeared in supporting roles inSecret Admirer andMurphy's Romance, the latter withSally Field, of whom he was reportedly in awe.[19] Also that year, he had the leading role inSilver Bullet,Stephen King's feature adaptation of his ownlycanthropic novella. Haim played aparaplegic 10-year-old boy who warns his uncle (played byGary Busey) that their town is being terrorized by awerewolf.[18][20] Haim began to gain industry recognition, earning his firstYoung Artist Award for the NBC movieA Time to Live,[19] in which he playedLiza Minnelli's character's dying son.[6] At the time, Haim's father was acting as his manager. He turned down a role for Haim inThe Mosquito Coast, which was later taken byRiver Phoenix. ProducerStanley Jaffe approached the father to remark on Haim's gifts, and recommended that he get an agent in Los Angeles.[5]
Haim's breakout role came in 1986, when he starred withKerri Green,Charlie Sheen, andWinona Ryder as the titular character inLucas. The coming-of-age story, about first love and teen angst, centers on an intelligent misfit who struggles for acceptance after falling for a cheerleader.[17] Haim turned 14 on the set in Chicago, and fell in love with Green, who played his romantic interest in the film.[21] Haim's unrequited love for Green helped inspire his performance, with the real-life dynamics between them expressed on screen.[21] DirectorDavid Seltzer noticed that unlike some of his peers, Haim seemed at ease with his burgeoning heartthrob status: "He took it in stride. Not in a negative way, but he was something of a magnet and he knew it."[17] Haim had read for River Phoenix's role inStand By Me while eating lunch in directorRob Reiner's backyard, and got the part the same day that he was offeredLucas. He later said he would not have changed his decision.[22] Haim was nominated for aYoung Artist Award for his performance as Lucas, and film criticRoger Ebert gave him a glowing review: "He creates one of the most three-dimensional, complicated, interesting characters of any age in any recent movie. If he can continue to act this well, he will never become a half-forgotten child star, but will continue to grow into an important actor. He is that good."[23] FollowingLucas, Haim moved to Los Angeles, and starred in the short-lived 1987 television seriesRoomies withBurt Young.[24]
In 1987, Haim had a featured role as Sam Emerson, the younger of two brothers, a comic-reading teen turnedvampire hunter inJoel Schumacher'sThe Lost Boys. Though he had seenLucas, Schumacher initially was not sold on casting Haim. The director was convinced by their first meeting.[25] Shot between theWarner Brothers lot and theSanta Cruz Boardwalk, the young cast includedJason Patric,Kiefer Sutherland,Jami Gertz, and Corey Feldman, and the set was lively.[26]The Lost Boys was well received by most critics, made over $32 million at the U.S. box office, and is regarded as a 1980s classic.[27] The performance earned Haim another Young Artist Award nomination as Best Young Male Superstar in a Motion Picture.[citation needed] The film marked his recurring on-screen partnership with Feldman.[26] The two young actors had previously become aware of one another when Haim auditioned for the role of Mouth inThe Goonies, which Feldman secured.[22] "The Two Coreys" ascended to become the highest paid teen stars of the 1980s.[28]
In the era ofTiger Beat andBop, Haim was a favored cover star.[29] His trademark lopsided smile[29][30][31] prompted hisNever Too Late co-starCloris Leachman to admonish him: "You know, that smirk you have is cute, but sometimes it looks a little fake. I would definitely practice closing your mouth a little more."[31][32] He often played underdogs.[33] Next cameLicense to Drive, co-starring Feldman andHeather Graham, in which Haim played the lead role of Les, whose love life is crippled by a lack of a car. He achieves his wish-fulfillment fantasy of turning his life around on one wild night.[6] "There were some shenanigans behind the scenes," remarked directorGreg Beeman of the indulgences of the Two Coreys. "They would disappear sometimes, but they always showed up for work."[17] At the time of the shoot, 16-year-old Haim only had a learner's permit, requiring an adult to be concealed in the back seat of the Cadillac he drove in the movie.[34] The film featured Haim's signature ad-libbing at its height.[31] Haim was receiving nearly 2,000 fan letters a week and worked to avoid the potentially "psycho" girls who circled the block where he lived in an apartment downstairs from his mother's.[34]License to Drive won Haim his second Young Artist Award (tying Feldman for the Best Young Actor in a Motion Picture Comedy or Fantasy award), and went on to gross over $22 million domestically.[35]
Haim starred in the horror filmWatchers, adapted from theDean R. Koontz novel, in which he played a teen who befriends a highly intelligent dog altered by military research, leading to the two being pursued.[6] Haim and Feldman next teamed in themetaphysical romantic comedyDream a Little Dream.[33] Four days before the shoot commenced on January 7, 1988, Haim broke his leg.[36] His character's injury was added to accommodate his cast and resulting limp. After the cast was removed two weeks later, Haim was required to wear a false one for the remainder of the shoot.[36] He semi-improvised his scenes in the film.[10]
Haim later said thatLicense to Drive was his "breaking point" for becoming addicted to drugs.[22] On April 9, 1989, Haim appeared live onstage atKnott's Berry Farm with DJ "Hollywood" Hamilton as part of a teen anti-drugs campaign. The thousand-strong audience of girls would not stop screaming and rushing the stage, and fire marshals had to escort Haim from the building amid fears for his safety. Haim later said that he was terrified of going onstage afterward, and had resolved never to go on any stage ever again.[37] In November 1989, fresh out of rehab, Haim released a self-promotional video titledCorey Haim: Me, Myself, and I, which followed a day in his life. Heavily scripted, Haim's monologues to camera were nevertheless unfocused and suggested that he was under the influence during filming.[38] The film has been considered the "worst movie ever" by X-Entertainment.[39][40] Haim set up a pre-recorded drug advice line for teens. He admitted onThe Arsenio Hall Show that he was high while giving the advice.[7]
In 1990, Haim co-starred withPatricia Arquette in the sci-fi actionerPrayer of the Rollerboys, performing many of his own stunts in a tale of a teen who goes undercover to expose a racist gang leader.[6][41] However, as his problems with drugs continued, Haim began to lose his core audience. His performances suffered, and his film career in the 1990s declined intodirect-to-video releases.[42][17] In 1991, aged 19, he starred inDream Machine, which received a direct-to-video release, as didOh, What a Night andThe Double 0 Kid, in whichSeth Green had a role. Green said his experiences of working with Haim was a duality between a sweet, hardworking professional who loved acting and a tormented addict.[43] Additional direct-to-video films included the 1992 erotic thrillerBlown Away. Co-starNicole Eggert, who was romantically involved with Haim at the time and also featured inThe Double O Kid, later stated that on-set medics would facilitate his needs to keep him from withdrawing.[24] She recalled filming with Haim during the day and spending the nights with him in the emergency room, "hooked up to an IV, begging doctors for a different prescription, then going back to work again the next day".[44]
In December 1992, Haim partnered in a lease-option on a 1922Hancock Park mansion with his business manager, a party promoter named Michael Bass who had served two years in jail after a conviction forfraud.[41][45] The 7,000-square-foot (650 m2) house was valued at $1.35M.[46] Bass rushed through the deal in order to hold a fund-raiser at the house to buy toys for Russian children, later revealed to be a scam. Haim lived at the house with Bass and his mother.[45] Haim visitedMannheim, Germany, in 1994 to sign a deal with the German record label Edel and recorded an album there. However, the deal fell through and the album remained unreleased. One of the songs, theeuro-house influenced "You Give Me Everything", produced by Daniel Schubert and Daniel Gonschorek, was released in 1995 as a 4-track single.[47] Over the next two years, Haim released sequels to two of his older films, 1994'sFast Getaway II along withNational Lampoon's Last Resort, 1995'sLife 101, andDream a Little Dream 2 with Feldman. Haim also unsuccessfully auditioned for the role ofRobin in Joel Schumacher'sBatman Forever.[6]
Brooke McCarter managed Haim through the mid-1990s, but, citing drug problems, eventually dropped him.[48] In 1996, Haim starred in four more direct-to-video films —Snowboard Academy,Demolition High,Fever Lake andBusted — the last also co-starring and directed by Corey Feldman. Feldman was forced to fire Haim after he refused to curtail his drug use and was inconsistent on set, later saying that it was one of the hardest things he ever had to do.[49] He had a small role in the television filmMerlin: The Quest Begins. In 1997, he appeared inNever Too Late and the sequel toDemolition High, titledDemolition University (on which he was credited as an executive producer).[50]
Haim nearly went broke after he pulled out of the filmParadise Bar in 1996. He was sued byLloyd's of London for $375,000 for failing to disclose his drug addiction as apre-existing medical condition on the insurance form. Haim filed forChapter 11bankruptcy protection in July 1997.[15] According to the bankruptcy report, he owed $100,000 to theIRS, and had $100,000 in outstanding debts. His listed assets included $100 in cash, the red 1987Alfa Romeo Spider featured inCorey Haim: Me, Myself, and I, $750 worth of clothing, a $31,000 pension fund, and royalty rights worth $7,500.[51] At this point, Haim's film roles evaporated.[3] In 1999, Haim shot a troubled low-budget independent film calledUniversal Groove in Montreal, using then-emerging digital technology.[52] He played a film director interacting with eight characters over the course of one night on thetechno club scene. Haim's return to Canada was newsworthy, with the shoot garnering local press interest and reporters fromPeople magazine visiting the set.[52] However, the film experienced fatal post-production problems, and stolen footage was leaked on the Internet. Over eight years later, the filmmakers finally self-released a reconstructed version of the film online.[53]
Haim attempted to return to the industry in 2000 with the direct-to-video thrillerWithout Malice, withJennifer Beals andCraig Sheffer. He hoped that playing the role of an ex-addict who conceals a murder with his sister's fiancé would offer him a transition from teen fare.[16] The film was made inWaskesiu, Saskatchewan, where crew members recalled Haim's propping up the town's only bar until the early hours.[16] In 2001, Haim was the subject of anE! True Hollywood Story. Airing on October 17, it showed him living in a spartan apartment above a garage inSanta Monica with his mother. Haim was disoriented and unintelligible for some of his interviews.[18] He was seen compiling a promotional clip reel for casting agents, and a pawnbroker recalled his begging for $3 to buy a slice of pizza.[18] Feldman spoke on the program about his attempts to help Haim kick the habit, and moved him into his house in October 2001.[18] Aged 29, Haim spent four days atMichael Jackson'sNeverland Ranch with Feldman.[54]
Able to poke fun at himself, Haim made a cameo appearance inDavid Spade'sDickie Roberts: Former Child Star, a film about a formerchild star, which included an array of actual former child stars, including Feldman. Haim also appeared in spoof horror movieThe Back Lot Murders. In 2002, he guest-starred as himself in an episode of the Canadian television seriesBig Wolf on Campus.[citation needed] Haim was the subject of a 2004 song by the Irish bandThe Thrills called "Whatever Happened to Corey Haim?"[55]
In 2006, Haim was ranked #8 onVH1's list of the Greatest Teen Stars.[38] In December 2006, Haim began taping a reality show titledThe Two Coreys, which reunited him with Feldman. Both were credited as executive producers, and had a measure of creative input.[10] The show premiered on theA&E Network on July 29, 2007, with a second season starting on June 22, 2008. At its advent, Haim bought himself and Feldman matchingTiffany rings.[10] The show's premise revolved around Haim living in Feldman's house with Feldman and Feldman's wife while trying to get his career back on track.[56] The dynamics of the threesome were conceived in the style of the filmYou, Me and Dupree.[1] Footage showed the ravages of Haim's habit on his body, and his appearance was unrecognizable.[57] Although acknowledged as partially scripted,[22] the show eventually took on a darker life of its own after Haim relapsed and his prescription drug abuse became apparent.[17]
In one of the darkest moments ofThe Two Coreys, Haim told Feldman that he had beensexually abused at the age of 14 by one of Feldman's acquaintances.[58] Declining to identify his molester (a 42-year-old man), Haim said that the abuse had continued for two years with Feldman's knowledge.[59] This disclosure led to a further rift between Haim and Feldman, and the show continued to expose the darker side of their lives as teen stars.[59] The disintegrating relationship between the former best friends prompted a six-month hiatus before the second season.[59] Haim was nominated for a Viewer's Choice Award at the 22nd Annual Gemini Awards in Canada for his role in the show.[60]
In the early 2000s, Haim attempted to support himself by selling clumps of his hair and an extracted molar oneBay.[61] The tooth reached $150 before being pulled from the listings in line with eBay's restrictions on the sale of body parts.[62] On February 7, 2008, Haim ran a paid advertisement in the Hollywood trade publicationVariety with a full-page photo, stating: "This is not a stunt. I'm back. I'm ready to work. I'm ready to make amends".[63] In February 2008, filming commenced in Vancouver forLost Boys: The Tribe, a direct-to-DVD sequel featuring few of the original cast.[26] Haim wept when he was told on-camera that there was no role for him in the film.[22] He later was scheduled to film a cameo appearance, but turned up on the set obviously under the influence and was unable to remember his lines.[64] A&E canceledThe Two Coreys midway through its second season in July 2008.[65]
Amid the Two Coreys' well-publicized estrangement came unconfirmed reports thatWarner Bros. planned to release aLost Boys 3—with their characters facing off.[66][67] Feldman was confirmed to star in and act as executive producer ofLost Boys: The Thirst.[68] In July 2008, Haim completed filming on the gambling comedyShark City in Toronto withVivica A. Fox,Carlo Rota andDavid Phillips.[69] Haim andG Tom Mac developed an idea for a reality show calledLost Boy Found, documenting Haim's addiction and recovery through music at Mac's studio, where he had been given a place to stay.[69] Mac pledged that if Haim stayed clean, he would allow him to come on tour and perform with him.[69] Apilot was filmed,[70][69] but the show was not picked up.[70]
In 2009,Crank: High Voltage was released, which saw Haim sporting a blonde mullet alongsideJason Statham,Amy Smart, andDwight Yoakam. Haim completed two films scheduled for a 2010 release: the thrillerAmerican Sunset, in which he played a man who is abducted in the search for his missing wife,[71] andDecisions, shot in December 2009, in which his character is a cop working with troubled kids.[72]American Sunset wrapped inNew Brunswick, Canada, on June 18, 2009.[73] Haim was attached to several films scheduled to go into production in 2010.[72] In his final days, he was working onThe Dead Sea, a film in which mercenaries on a naval ship are trapped byzombies. He requested a "clean set" from producers to reduce temptation,[72] although his fellow cast members commented on his hyperactivity and need for attention.[74] Haim came to the set on his days off.[74]
During the filming ofThe Lost Boys, Haim bonded withCorey Feldman as they stayed in the hotel watching movies and visited the local arcade.[75][22] The two became best friends.[26]
Following the release ofThe Lost Boys, Haim visibly embraced the privileges of his new-found fame,[13][29] becoming a regular at Alphy's Soda Pop Club, a private nightclub for underage actors at theHollywood Roosevelt Hotel.[76]
In February 1993, Michael Bass reported to police that Haim had threatened him during an argument. Haim was arrested.[3][77] According to Haim's publicist at the time, he was shooting BB guns at a target in his backyard while trying to fire Bass, who refused to accept that he was being let go. Initially investigated as a terrorist threat (afelony), Haim's charge was downgraded to themisdemeanor of exhibiting a replica handgun in a threatening manner. Feldman posted Haim's $250 bail.[77]
By late July 2008, Haim had become destitute and homeless in Los Angeles.[69] He was taken in by singer-songwriterGerard McMahon, who wrote "Cry Little Sister" forThe Lost Boys soundtrack. They developed an idea for a reality show calledLost Boy Found, documenting Haim's addiction and recovery through music at Mac's studio, where he had been given a place to stay.[69]
Despite their close bond in their early years of fame, Haim and Feldman had a number of disagreements in Haim's later years. Many of these disputes occurred due to Haim's drug use, which was documented in the reality seriesThe Two Coreys. Before his death, Haim reconciled with Feldman off-camera.[44] The two were spending time together developing a sequel toLicense to Drive calledLicense to Fly, a project of Haim's conception.[44]
Haim struggled with substance abuse for most of his life.[78] He was already drinking beer in his early teens on the set ofLucas in 1985, and a year later, he triedmarijuana on the set ofThe Lost Boys.[26] Haim asserted that the filming ofLicense to Drive was his "breaking point" for becoming addicted to drugs.[22] On his return from a Hawaiian family vacation in May 1989, Haim told the press that he had been clean for a month after goingcold turkey without the help of a substance-abuse program.[79][80]
FellowLost Boys actorBrooke McCarter began managing Haim in an effort to keep him clean.[48][81] McCarter was datingOscar-winning producerJulia Phillips, who termed the assignment "babysitting".[81] In hermemoir, Phillips recalled Haim's asking her permission to take out her daughter, and the moral conflict she experienced while smoking marijuana in front of him, saying: "Mixed feelings about Corey. Love him. Detest him too, or at least the manipulative part that knew how to make people twice his age snap to. Are you really only eighteen? Who writes your dialogue"?[81]
During the filming ofWithout Malice (2000), Haim would reportedly halt production to call Toronto and check if his dog was dead, and sudden medical incidents required the filling of emergency prescriptions.[16]
By 2001, Haim had sought rehabilitation 15 times for his drug addiction.[82] He spent time in rehabilitation and was placed on prescription medication, which he began to abuse.[51] On August 10, 2001, his mother found him unconscious at his Los Angeles bungalow.[82] He was rushed to theUCLA Medical Center where doctors managed to stabilize him. Two weeks earlier, from July 23, 2001, Haim had spent some time inSherman Oaks Hospital.[82]
Feldman said of Haim: "He made so many attempts at suicide. He's OD'd so many times. I mean, I can't begin to tell you, having him foaming at the mouth, coming downstairs and finding him that way and drooling and not able to speak, and me, having to put charcoal down his throat so that he could breathe."[83]
Haim stated that at one point, he did not leave his apartment for three and a half years and ballooned from 150 to 302 pounds.[22] By 2004, Haim appeared to have overcome his drug habit after his mother persuaded him to return to Toronto with her and resettle there.[29]
Feldman vowed that he would no longer speak to Haim until he got clean.[64] OnThe Two Coreys, Feldman and his wife, along with two other former teen stars, called on Haim in an effort to get him to admit he needed help.[64] Feldman added that he did not consider Haim to be "a safe person to have around my wife and child at the moment".[2] After his falling-out with Feldman, Haim had a car accident while under the influence and walked out for good on the show's therapist.[84] Publicly severing his ties with Haim, Feldman stated: "I am not going to watch him destroy himself."[17]
On the advice of his lawyer, Haim went to a physician in California with the goal of sticking to a program to wean off pills without multiple doctors in order to demonstrate that he was working toward getting clean.[85] Haim's agent stated that the doctor was reluctant to drop Haim from his current level to zero pills, fearing a seizure, and took him to an addiction specialist to get mental help.[85]
Haim never married nor had any children. He was involved withWho's the Boss? actressAlyssa Milano from 1987 to 1990.[86] Milano and her parents, together with his manager at the time, unsuccessfully tried to get Haim help for his addiction.[87]
Lala Sloatman co-starred with Haim inWatchers (1988) andDream a Little Dream (1989), and they dated on and off for two years at the peak of his fame.[88][76]
Haim was engaged toBaywatch actressNicole Eggert, with whom he starred inBlown Away (1992) andJust One of the Girls (1993). Eggert is credited with helping to save Haim's life at least once by taking him to the hospital to detox during a "narcotic rush".[28] Eggert once said: "I spent a lot of nights in emergency rooms with him. I don't think that I saved his life, I just think that I was there for him".[24]
Haim was briefly engaged to actressHolly Fields in 1996[89] and to modelCindy Guyer in 2000.[90]
Haim had a year-long relationship with actressTiffany Shepis. In October 2008, he stated that the two were engaged and due to marry on May 9, 2009.[91]
At the time of his death, Haim was in a relationship with reality star, and cousin of boxerOscar de la Hoya, Daisy de la Hoya.[92]
In an episode ofThe Two Coreys, Haim told Feldman that he had beensexually abused at the age of 14 by one of Feldman's acquaintances.[58] Declining to identify his molester, Haim said that the abuse had continued for two years with Feldman's knowledge.[59] This disclosure led to a further rift between Haim and Feldman, and the show continued to expose the darker side of their lives as teen stars.[59]
In 2011, after Haim's death, Feldman stated that a "Hollywood mogul" who abused Haim was to blame for his death.[93] Feldman's 2013 memoir,Coreyography, stated that he and Haim suffered sexual abuse as young actors in the film industry. Feldman stated that during the filming ofLucas, Haim "had been tricked into engaging in a painful session of anal sex by a man on the movie set. The man told Haim that sex between men and boys was normal in Hollywood". Feldman reported that after this experience, Haim suggested that he and Feldman engage in sexual relations, and Feldman declined.[94]
In 2016, Judy Haim threatened to sue Feldman. Haim claimed that many of his statements were false and added that Feldman was looking for attention and money.[95] In 2017, Judy Haim again spoke out against Feldman, who was seeking $10 million to make a documentary exposing those who had allegedly sexually abused him and her son; Judy Haim referred to Feldman as a "scam artist".[96]
In a 2017 interview from theNational Enquirer, actor Dominick Brascia alleged thatCharlie Sheen was the person who had raped Haim on the set ofLucas. Sheen was 19 at the time, while Haim was 13. Sheen denied these allegations and filed a lawsuit against theNational Enquirer that was settled in 2018.[97][98][99] In a 2017 interview onThe Dr. Oz Show, Judy Haim denied that Charlie Sheen was sexually involved with her son and accused Brascia, who died in 2018, of having sexually abused him.[100][101]
In March 2020, Feldman's documentary,My Truth: The Rape of 2 Coreys, was released. Feldman alleged that Sheen had raped Haim and added that Haim had described the incident in graphic detail. These claims were backed up in the documentary byJamison Newlander, Haim's friend and co-star inThe Lost Boys, and Feldman's ex-wife Susie Sprague. Feldman accused Brascia of having sexually abused Haim as well. Feldman also spoke out against Judy Haim's attacks on his credibility.[102] Sheen's publicist denied the abuse allegations.[103]
On March 10, 2010, after Haim's mother called 911, paramedics took Haim from their home toProvidence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, where he was pronounced dead at 2:15 a.m. He was 38 years old.[104] The 10-minute911 call made by Haim's mother was leaked on the Internet.[105] Haim had been ill with flu-like symptoms for two days before his death. A doctor called on him and took his temperature, but did not suspect serious problems.Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter said: "As he got out of bed, he felt a little weak and went down to the floor on his knees."[51]
Los Angeles police initially stated that Haim's death appeared to be an accidentaloverdose;[104] bottles containingValium,Vicodin,Soma (a muscle relaxant), andHaloperidol (anantipsychotic) were retrieved.[106] It emerged that Haim had used illegal aliases to procure over 553 prescription pills in the 32 days before his death, having "doctor-shopped" seven different physicians and used seven pharmacies to obtain the supply. The pills included 195 Valium, 149 Vicodin, 194 Soma and 15Xanax.[107] Haim's agent discounted the possibility of an overdose, citing his recent drive toward clean living and affirming that he had been completely drug-free for two weeks.[108] However, Haim's primary doctor confirmed toDrug Enforcement Administration investigators that Haim was addicted to pain medication.[109]
California Attorney GeneralJerry Brown announced that his office was investigating Haim's death, saying an unauthorized prescription in his name had been found among fraudulent prescription pads ordered fromSan Diego County.[51] On March 17, 2010, Brown announced that an arrest was made in connection with the investigation, which involved doctor-identity theft and up to 5,000 illegal prescriptions. While detailed information was not released, officials stated that Haim had obtainedOxycontin via a prescription drug ring.[109] Records showed he had received thousands of pills over the last year of his life, using physicians at offices, urgent-care facilities and emergency rooms.[109][110]
On May 4, 2010, the L.A. County Coroner's office autopsy report revealed that Haim died ofdiffuse alveolar damage andpneumonia, together withhypertrophic cardiomyopathy and coronaryarteriosclerosis. The death was ruled anatural death.[111][112][113] As to the question of whether drugs were involved, the coroner stated: "the toxicology report revealed no significant contributing factor".[114] Before the autopsy report was released publicly, Haim's mother stated that the coroner had given her a "courtesy call" to state his preliminary findings that Haim died ofpulmonary edema and was suffering from an enlarged heart and water in the lungs.[115][116][117] Haim's death certificate lists "Diffuse Alveolar Damage" and "Community Acquired Pneumonia" as causes of death, with "Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy With Coronary Arteriosclerosis" listed as other conditions contributing but not related to the immediate cause of death.[118]
On March 25, 2010, approximately twenty doctors were subpoenaed in connection with Haim's case.[119] Haim had claimed to each that he was not seeing any other doctors, and many reported feeling "duped" by him.[109] Attorney General Brown called Haim the "poster child" for prescription drug addiction.[109]
A privateJewish funeral ceremony for Haim took place on March 16, 2010, atSteeles Memorial Chapel inThornhill, Ontario.[120] Both of Haim's parents attended, along with 200 friends and family.[121] A dozen fans waited outside.[122] In an open letter written to Haim on that day,[123] Corey Feldman stated his wish to stay away from the funeral to minimize publicity for the family; he said, "I always feared this day would come".[124]
Haim died with very little money, and his mother initially announced that the cost of his funeral would be covered by public funds provided by the city of Toronto as is customary in destitute cases.[125] However, city officials stated that no paperwork had been submitted by the family, who entreated fans to help provide for the burial in an online appeal for funds.[126] A $20,000 contribution was made by a memorabilia site to which Haim had sold items over the years,[127] but the company later put a stop payment on the check after it emerged that the funeral home had stepped in to cover the costs from the outset.[128] Haim's personal effects were put up for auction on eBay by a cast member fromA Time to Live, whose listings claimed that the family had asked him to sell the items as they needed money for burial expenses.[116]
Haim's body was buried at Pardes Shalom Cemetery in theMaple neighborhood ofVaughan, in theYork Region ofOntario, Canada.[122][129]
Haim was omitted from the"In Memoriam" tribute montage at both the17th Screen Actors Guild Awards and the83rd Academy Awards in the year following his death.[130] Perceived by the press as a "snub", Haim's omission from the Oscars received widespread media coverage.[131][132] Corey Feldman said the snub showed that theAcademy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences doesn't "have a handle on who the public adores."[133]
Haim was the subject of a TV program,Autopsy: The Last Hours of Corey Haim, which premiered on November 23, 2016, on theReelz channel.[134]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Firstborn | Brian Livingston | |
| 1985 | Secret Admirer | Jeff Ryan | |
| Silver Bullet | Marty Coslaw | ||
| Murphy's Romance | Jake Moriarty | ||
| 1986 | Lucas | Lucas Bly | |
| 1987 | The Lost Boys | Sam Emerson | |
| 1988 | License to Drive | Les Anderson | |
| Watchers | Travis Cornell | ||
| 1989 | Dream a Little Dream | Dinger Holfield | |
| 1990 | Prayer of the Rollerboys | Griffin | |
| 1991 | Fast Getaway | Nelson Potter | |
| Dream Machine | Barry Davis | ||
| 1992 | Oh, What a Night | Eric Hansen | Direct-to-video |
| The Double 0 Kid | Lance Elliot | ||
| 1993 | Blown Away | Rich Gardner | |
| Anything for Love | Chris Calder | also known asJust One of the Girls | |
| 1994 | National Lampoon's Last Resort | Dave | Direct-to-video |
| Fast Getaway II | Nelson Potter | ||
| 1995 | Dream a Little Dream 2 | Dinger Holfield | |
| Life 101 | Ramsy | ||
| 1996 | Demolition High | Lenny Slater | |
| Never Too Late | Max | ||
| Shooter on the Side | Unknown | ||
| Snowboard Academy | Chris Barry | ||
| 1997 | Busted | Clifford | Direct-to-video |
| Fever Lake | Albert | ||
| Demolition University | Lenny Slater | ||
| Batman & Robin | Biker Gang Member | (uncredited) | |
| 2002 | The Backlot Murders | Tony | Direct-to-video |
| 2003 | Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star | Himself | |
| 2007 | Universal Groove | Jim | |
| 2008 | Lost Boys: The Tribe | Sam Emerson | Direct-to-video |
| 2009 | Crank: High Voltage | Randy | |
| Shark City | Chip Davis | ||
| Trade In | Himself | ||
| 2010 | American Sunset | Tom MacLean | |
| New Terminal Hotel | Jasper Crash | Posthumous release | |
| 2011 | Decisions | Detective Lou Andreas | |
| 2014 | The Dead Sea | Oso |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984–1985 | The Edison Twins | Larry | 26 episodes |
| 1985 | A Time to Live | Peter Weisman | Television film |
| 1987 | Roomies | Matthew Wiggins | Eight episodes |
| 1998 | Psi Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal | Research Project Intern | Episode: "The Egress" |
| Merlin: The Quest Begins | Wilf | Television film | |
| 2000 | Big Wolf on Campus | Himself | Episode: "Blame it on the Haim" |
| Without Malice | Marty | Television film | |
| 2007–2008 | The Two Coreys | Himself | 19 episodes |
| 2007 | Robot Chicken | Episode: Federated Resources |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Double Switch | Eddie | Starring role inlive-action video game |
It's really not substantial advice I guess, because I was, like, loaded while giving the advice.
His parents Bernie and Judy Haim are preparing for a February bar mitzvah.
In Loving Memory of Corey Ian Haim - יחזקאל יהודה
Shriver: You say you've already had a first love, did you draw on that experience in the film? Haim: Actually, in real life, I did actually fall in love with this young lady here (gestures to Green)... we were in an elevator, and I asked her to go out with me, I thought she was 11. So what we see on-screen really happened...
"This wasn't like a one time thing he said in passing. It wasn't like, 'Oh, by the way, this happened'. He went into great detail. He told me, 'Charlie bent me over in between two trailers and putCrisco oil on my butt and raped me in broad daylight. Anybody could have walked by, anybody could have seen it'".
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