Corey Haim: A Textbook Young Hollywood Downfall

By Mike Hess Posted Mar 10th 2010 01:08PM

As the headlines of "Corey Haim Dead" blared this morning, it became quite apparent that his story is one that has become all too tragically common these days. The actor, who with his floppy hair, freckled looks and sly grin shot to stardom in the '80s and quickly became the teen heartthrob of his times (essentially the Robert Pattinson of 1988), was on top of the world at a very young age. Then, like countless others who were thrust into the spotlight during their teen years, his coming-of-age adult years were a rocky transition, and he eventually succumbed to the pitfalls of fame, fortune and personal demons. All of the warning signs were there, and sadly, this story is being written because it all played out like it has before: Kid actor turned troubled adult, eventually leading to an all-too-sad passing.

Haim's mid-'80s catapult onto the A-list was a meteoric one. The Canadian-born actor graced the screen at the age of 13 in 'Murphy's Romance,' and his freckly face and doe-eyed charm quickly became synonymous with his name. A year later, he was the little geek that you just had to root for in 'Lucas,' and after that, his career -- and life -- kicked into overdrive.

'The Lost Boys' will likely be the movie that most will recognize Haim for. It was a pop culture vampire film that everyone was talking about (again, Robert Pattinson, anyone?) and had a lineup of some of Hollywood's most promising faces. Other starring roles, in 'License to Drive' and 'Dream a Little Dream,' soon followed, but the infamy was already there for Haim.

His fame, it turns out, wouldn't sustain and eventually resulted in a downward spiral seen in Hollywood countless times before. Haim's battle with drugs became tabloid fodder, eventually leading to a tell-all retelling of his troubles in a 2001 'E! True Hollywood Story.'

"I lived in LA in the 80s, which was not the best place to be ... I did cocaine for about a year and a half, then it led to crack," Haim told the UK Guardian in 2004. "[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."

Already deep in the trenches of addiction, Haim began to slip even further from fame. Film work was almost non-existent for most of the 2000s, and in 2007, he signed up for a reality show with a familiar friend, fellow 80s teen idol Corey Feldman, Haim's co-star in his most well-known films. Much of the focus of 'The Two Coreys' was on Haim's demons, which frequently led to all-out brawls between the two. Their friendship was never repaired, and the show eventually ended because the two couldn't work out their differences.

Once the show ended, Haim did his best to get his life and career back on track. In February 2008, he bought a full-page ad in the trade publication Variety that read: "This is not a stunt. I'm back. I'm ready to work. I'm ready to make amends." Haim then scored a role in 'Crank 2,' and according to IMDB.com, has seven films either in pre- or post production.

Sadly, like many who have come before him, those films will now be part of his posthumous filmography.

Corey's Movie Legacy Corey's TV Legacy

Tags: Corey Haim

Comments

(254)

Wednesday 10 March

By Doug

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Have a little respect you idiot. Just remember in 20 years people will say "Robert Pattison Who"!

Sunday 14 March

By julie

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Corey is not a has been actor he was the actor in the 80s he just grow up and got out of acting but have you seen his movies I loved them watch License to Drive it was a killer movie I grew up watching 80s movies there better than today they have more action and put feeling in to instead of today most ofthe movies are just one action through out the the 80s were funny and imagitive and real life.Plus Lost Boys was an epic they even made a sequel in 2008

By Al

So bitter -- there must be a reason -- you are a loser! Shame on you!

By gobluespartyon

You're troll and loser like your pal Kportguy1. I can't stand people that are heartless.

By Kevin

Lowest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Yo ruglady55 .... Nobody gives a crap about a tired old washed up khunt like you. STFU you old bitter slag

By G

Obviously you didn't care about paying attention in English class either!

By jj

B-E-E-N. Moron!

By Robert

Don't listen to these celebrity obsessed lowlifes ruglady55. I don't give a crap about the loser either.

By Tara

Then why did you bother wasting the time to read and respond to this???? Also why the hell did he have to mention Robert Pattinson in this artical that was pretty stupid nad makes my feel old RIP Corey Youll be Truely missed

By lolabull

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I heard he was living in Canada, waiting in a line to receive healthcare when he passed?

By MICKEY

Joe, Corry Haim is not an ass on the pimple of life.

By JerOnaMoe

@ruglady55 You're an idiot, but you're right. Who the hell cares?

By ashley

Ruglady, learn how to spell. It's has been, not has ben, and he was a wonderful actor who sadly never received the help he needed. As for one who said they feel sorry for his mom, his mom was a huge part of his problem.

By cath

Care about your spelling. It's
"been" not ben. Rude ass.

By greg

haha pimple max joe. whoever loser boy corey was, it doesnt matter anymore , he did us all a big favor by croaking,corey was a low life, who couldnt handle rejection .plain and simple as jesse ventura would say, WHO YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

By CJK

JESSE VENTURA? WHO YA? YEA YOUR CLEARLY SOME HILLBILLY DOUCHE BAG

By manyshot2

I didn't really like him as an actor he did a lot of over actint. I just don't understand how a bunch of you can be so cruel about his death. He messed up a lot of his life but I dont think any of us are perfect. So with that RIP Corey

By Tom

Cause of death.... Liberalism!!!!

By b

he died from being a republican phoney

By CHERYL MARTIN

Once again, we must stop these doctors from being able to get these drugs to these celebrities [SO EASILY]Because they are well known;they get things easier than we can...I think doctors should be on camera so we can make them responsible for their actions;the oath they take as a doctor or pharmacist should be upheld!!!!STOP USING YOUR POWER TO ISSUE DRUGS TO TO ANYONE [WHO CAN PAY THE PRICE] yeh, their lives..........

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