Corey Ian Haim (born December 23, 1971) is a Canadian actor, known for a 1980s Hollywood career as a teen idol. He starred in a number of films such as Lucas, The Lost Boys, License to Drive and Dream a Little Dream, and in particular, collaborated numerous times with Corey Feldman and the pair were dubbed "The Two Coreys." Haim and Feldman currently star in a television show titled The Two Coreys, airing on the A&E Network.
Haim was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the son of Judy, an Israeli-born computer operator, and Bernie Haim, who worked in sales. Haim is Jewish. He was enrolled in acting lessons by his mother in an attempt to help him overcome his shyness. Haim, not particularly fascinated by acting, participated in other activities, such as ice hockey, playing music on his keyboard and collecting comic books.
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. Haim made his first cinematic appearance in the 1984 feature film, Firstborn, which also starred Sarah Jessica Parker and Robert Downey Jr. In 1985, Haim appeared in minor roles in Secret Admirer and Murphy's Romance and starred in the leading role in a feature film version of Stephen King's novella, Silver Bullet, playing a paraplegic boy alongside Gary Busey. Haim started to make a name for himself in the industry, notably by earning his first 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. Haim would receive a nomination for an Exceptional Performance by a Young Actor Starring in a Feature Film - Comedy or Drama at the Young Artist Awards for his role as the title character. 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 in Joel Schumacher's vampire 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 fellow teen actor Corey Feldman. The performance also earned him another Young Artist Award nomination as Best Young Male Superstar in a Motion Picture. In 1988, Haim starred in two more widely released films: License to Drive, a financially successful teen comedy which again co-starred Corey Feldman as well as a young Heather Graham, and the horror film based on the Dean R. Koontz novel 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.
The two Coreys had become a popular on screen collaboration, following two successful films the pair would meet again in 1989, when Haim appeared 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 Rock On video. That same year Haim released a self-promotional video documentary entitled Corey Haim: Me, Myself, and I. In the video, he is shown taking part in wholesome family activities and discussing his career and ambitions. His next film, The Dream Machine was a direct-to-video film released in 1990. His next film was the Prayer of the Rollerboys, co-starring Patricia Arquette.
Haim continued making direct-to-video films, including Blown Away (which also starred Feldman), The Double 0 Kid and Oh, What a Night. In 1993, he starred in a full motion video game called Double Switch, which was released for the Sega CD and later for the Sega Saturn, as well as for the home computer. 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, Haim 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 also produced), he filed for bankruptcy in 1997.
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, Haim appeared in The Back Lot Murders alongside Priscilla Barnes. He became the subject of an E! True Hollywood Story in 2001. He made a cameo role appearance in Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star, a film about a former child star who did not live a normal childhood; it featured a range of other former child stars, including Feldman.
In 2002, he also guest starred as himself in an episode of the Canadian television series Big Wolf on Campus.
By 2004, Haim appeared to have finally overcome his drug habit, after resettling in Toronto. The Irish band, The Thrills, released a single, "Whatever happened to Corey Haim?", in September 2004. In response to an investigation by The Sun newspaper during the single's release 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.
On December 4, 2006, Haim began taping an improv/reality show with Corey Feldman titled The Two Coreys. The show premiered on the A&E Network on July 29, 2007.
During an appearance (7/24/07) on The Opie and Anthony Show, Haim said he was once nearly 300 lbs. He claimed to lose 140 lbs. in 11 months by eating watermelon, cayenne pepper and hot corn
Haim was recently nominated for a Viewer's Choice Award at the 22nd Annual Gemini Awards in Canada for his role in The Two Coreys. He was voted #8 in the category of "Favourite Canadian" on a TV Series (not eligible for a Gemini) for his role in the A&E show.
Corey Feldman and Corey Haim have signed on for a second season of the A&E Network reality show "The Two Coreys."
On February 7, 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 Corey Haim reprising his role as Sam Emerson. Haim reversed his previous decision to not appear in this sequel. In 2009, Haim will appear in another sequel Crank 2: High Voltage. Haim is currently filming Shark City in Toronto with Vivica Fox.
