Corey Haim

Corey Ian Haim (December 23, 1971 – March 10, 2010) was a Canadian actor.

Haim was born on December 23, 1971, in Toronto, Ontario, the son of Judy Haim, an Israeli-born data processor, and Bernie Haim, who worked in sales.

He starred in a number of 1980s films, such as Silver Bullet (1985), Murphy's Romance (1985), Lucas (1986), License to Drive (1988) and Dream a Little Dream (1989).

Known as The Two Coreys, the duo became 1980s icons and appeared together in seven films, later starring in the A&E American reality show The 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 was troubled by drug addiction throughout his adult life.

He began performing in commercials in 1981.

Later, he played the role of Larry in the Canadian children's educational comedy television series The Edison Twins.

In 1982, his parents divorced after 18 years of marriage.

He had an older sister, Cari, and a younger half-brother, Daniel Lee, from his father's second marriage.

Haim was Jewish; his Hebrew name was Yechezkel Yehudah.

Haim was first raised in Chomedey, Laval, Quebec (a suburb of Montreal), and later grew up in Willowdale, Toronto.

There, his mother enrolled him in drama classes in improvisation and mime to help him overcome his shyness.

Haim's skill as a hockey player led to his being scouted for the AA Thunderbirds.

Haim attended several schools in both Thornhill, Ontario, and North York, Ontario (including North York's Zion Heights Junior High) until grade eight.

After accompanying his sister Cari to auditions, Haim was noticed and was offered roles as a child actor.

Haim made his feature film debut in the 1984 thriller Firstborn as a boy whose family comes under threat from his mother's violent boyfriend, played by Peter Weller.

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.

Haim later admitted that he was terrified by the experience.

Weller apologized to Haim, saying method acting caused his actions.

Regarding co-star Sarah Jessica Parker, Haim recalled:

"I was 10, and I'll never forget we went to like a crew party and my mom and dad were like dancing with other people and it was rocky; and I just started crying, whatever, and I remember Sarah pulling me outside with Robert [Downey, Jr.]. And Robert said, you're comin' to live with me."

In 1985, Haim appeared in supporting roles in Secret Admirer and Murphy's Romance, the latter with Sally Field, of whom he was reportedly in awe.

Also that year, he had the leading role in Silver Bullet, Stephen King's feature adaptation of his own lycanthropic novella.

Haim played a paraplegic 10-year-old boy who warns his uncle (played by Gary Busey) that their town is being terrorized by a werewolf.

Haim began to gain industry recognition, earning his first Young Artist Award for the NBC movie A Time to Live, in which he played Liza Minnelli's character's dying son.

At the time, Haim's father was acting as his manager.

He turned down a role for Haim in The Mosquito Coast, which was later taken by River Phoenix.

Producer Stanley Jaffe approached the father to remark on Haim's gifts, and recommended that he get an agent in Los Angeles.

Haim's breakout role came in 1986, when he starred with Kerri Green, Charlie Sheen, and Winona Ryder as the titular character in Lucas.

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.

Haim turned 14 on the set in Chicago, and fell in love with Green, who played his romantic interest in the film.

Haim's unrequited love for Green helped inspire his performance, with the real-life dynamics between them expressed on screen.

Director David 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."

Haim had read for River Phoenix's role in Stand By Me while eating lunch in director Rob Reiner's backyard, and got the part the same day that he was offered Lucas.

He later said he would not have changed his decision.

His role alongside Corey Feldman in The Lost Boys (1987) made him a household name.

He died of pneumonia on March 10, 2010.