For a short period in the late ’80s, this actor from Toronto was the most popular teen in Hollywood. However, just a few years later, everything fell apart.
Facing bankruptcy, struggling with addiction, and ultimately found on the streets asking for a piece of pizza, the life of this child star took a tragic turn. When he passed away in 2010, Hollywood was left in shock, and even the most prominent stars grieved his loss.
This is the sorrowful tale of Corey Haim – and how everything went so wrong.
Growing up in Hollywood is challenging, and unfortunately, we have witnessed far too many tragic stories. Yet, when it comes to Corey Haim, I don’t think I’ve encountered a more heartbreaking narrative. He was such a kind, lovable child before Hollywood consumed him and discarded him.
Born in December 1971 in Toronto, Canada, Haim was a reserved child, so his parents encouraged him to take acting classes to boost his confidence.
By the time he was ten, he was already featured in TV commercials, and he quickly realized that being in front of the camera came naturally to him. This led to a role in the TV series The Edison Twins.
During this period, Haim’s parents went through a divorce, a significant change that affected him deeply. However, in 1984, he secured the role of Brian Livingston in Firstborn, which earned him a nomination for a Young Artist Award and solidified his emerging career.
Film critic Roger Ebert commended him, stating, “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.”
Everything shifted in 1987 when Haim appeared in The Lost Boys alongside Corey Feldman. The duo quickly became teen heartthrobs, and their on-screen chemistry led to several future collaborations, including the reality series The Two Coreys.
Thousands of fan letters
As a young teen, Corey Haim was inundated with fan mail from around the globe—thousands of letters arrived. Yet, he seemed unprepared for the overwhelming nature of fame and the sensation that he could have anything he desired.
In 1988, while heading to the premiere of the popular comedy License to Drive, Corey was captured by reporters in a moment that perfectly illustrated his life as one of the ’80s poster boys.
“We’re going to take a shower together,” he was quoted as saying to his girlfriend Lala, “and then you’re going to go home and do your makeup and hair and get dressed.”
Turning to his mother, Judy, he added:
“We’re calling a limo, aren’t we, Mom?”
The exchange revealed how significantly life in the limelight influenced Corey — even from a very young age.
Like many young actors, he didn’t remain in school for long. His formal education only extended to the eighth grade. Instead, Haim became a frequent visitor at Alphy’s Soda Pop Club, a private nightclub for underage actors situated in the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.
Corey Haim’s battle with addiction
As reported by Mirror, Haim began drinking beer while working on Lucas in 1986, and by the time The Lost Boys was being filmed, he had started smoking marijuana.
After relocating to Los Angeles, Haim’s drug use intensified. He began using cocaine and eventually crack, and by 1989, at the young age of 18, he entered rehab for the first time.
Unfortunately, recovery was a challenging journey.
Haim referred to himself as a “chronic relapser” and also developed a reliance on prescription drugs. At times, he would consume as many as 85 pills in a single day.
Colleagues observed the impact addiction had on him. Dr. Nicki J. Monte, who collaborated with Haim and Feldman on The Two Coreys, remarked:
[Haim] had a significant saboteur within him. He succumbed to that saboteur. He was under the influence of his addiction, and he could never escape that influence.
Haim’s persistent battles not only took a toll on his health but also on his career. His acting prospects dwindled, leading him to take an eight-year hiatus from the industry. During this time, Haim encountered financial difficulties, spending a large portion of his funds on hospital visits.
Sold his teeth and hair
At one point, his desperation drove him to attempt selling his teeth and hair on eBay.
In 1997, he declared bankruptcy, relinquishing assets that included a 1987 BMW, $100 in cash, clothing valued at $750, and $7,500 in residuals and royalty rights.
Haim also became the subject of an E! documentary, which unveiled the challenges behind the teen heartthrob persona. The special depicted him residing in a bare apartment above a garage in Santa Monica with his mother. During this period, Haim appeared disoriented and often hard to understand in interviews, even showing up intoxicated at one point and asking for money just to buy a slice of pizza — all while attempting to send promotional videos to casting agents, claiming he was “the old Corey.”
This wasn’t the first occasion Haim had sought to regain control of his life.
When The Two Coreys show was canceled in 2008 (mainly due to Haim’s drug issues), he placed an advertisement in Variety that stated: “This is not a stunt. I’m back. I’m ready to work. I’m ready to make amends.
Corey Haim’s cause of death
Unfortunately, Haim struggled with drug addiction throughout his life.
He once shared that there was a period of three and a half years when he remained confined to his apartment, during which his weight surged from 150 to 302 pounds.
Tragically, on March 10, 2010, Haim succumbed to pneumonia.
Initially, the Los Angeles police indicated that his death seemed to be the result of an accidental overdose, as they discovered bottles of Valium, Vicodin, Soma (a muscle relaxant), and Haloperidol (an antipsychotic) in his residence.
It was later revealed that in the 32 days leading up to his death, Haim had obtained over 553 prescription pills by using aliases, consulting seven different doctors, and filling prescriptions at seven pharmacies.
While the presence of these prescription medications sparked speculation about an overdose, an autopsy eventually determined that Haim died from natural causes.
Allegations and aftermath
The tragic narrative of Haim did not conclude with his passing. Years later, his close friend Corey Feldman alleged that both he and Haim had been victims of sexual abuse by individuals linked to a high-profile Hollywood pedophile ring.
Haim’s mother, Judy, refuted Feldman’s broader allegations but acknowledged that her son had been molested once by a man.
To commemorate the 10th anniversary of Haim’s death, Corey Feldman released a documentary titled My Truth: The Rape of Two Coreys, which delved into the alleged abuse he and Haim endured while growing up in Hollywood.
One of the most shocking assertions in the film is Feldman’s claim that Haim confided in him that Charlie Sheen had raped him on the set of the 1986 film Lucas. At that time, Sheen was 19 years old, and Haim was only 13.
Entertainment Weekly reported that several individuals featured in the documentary mentioned that Haim had confided in them regarding the alleged abuse, including Feldman’s ex-wife Susannah Sprague, with whom he has a son.
Sheen’s publicist addressed the allegations, stating to People: “These sick, twisted and outlandish claims never happened. Period. I encourage everyone to consider the source and to read what his mother Judy Haim has to say.”
Sheen had previously refuted similar allegations following a 2017 National Enquirer article that involved actor Dominick Brascia, who passed away in 2018. Sheen subsequently filed a lawsuit against the National Enquirer, which was resolved in 2018.
Every time I come across a photo or video of Corey Haim, my heart feels heavy for the life he could have lived. Let’s always remember him — he brought immense joy to the world through his films from the ’80s, and his legacy will forever endure.
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