The star of classic films such as Silver Bullet, Lucas, and The Lost Boys, as well as Digital Pictures' Double Switch for the PC, Sega CD, and Saturn, actor Corey Haim died today at the age of 38.
Perhaps best known along with frequent co-star Corey Feldman as one of the two Coreys, Corey Haim's career started off in a promising fashion in the early 80's, cast alongside big-name Hollywood talent including Charlie Sheen, Sarah Jessica Parker, Sally Field, and Winona Ryder. His performances in movies like Murphy's Romance, Firstborn, and Lucas earned him recognition in the industry, which lead to a starring role in Joel Schumacher's The Lost Boys, one of the most enjoyable vampire movies of all time.
In the early 90's his career took a turn for the worse, with Haim appearing mainly in direct-to-video movies. It was during this period that he starred in Double Switch, a full-motion video game from Digital Picture's, creators of the classic Night Trap. The game followed the same formula as Night Trap, with Haim starring as a young man trapped in an apartment building, force to set traps for enemies in order to escape. It appeared on the Sega CD, Sega Saturn, and was one of the first DirectX games released for Windows.
Haim developed a drug habit that plagued him through the 2000's, stifling attempts at a comeback despite the success of his 2006 reality show The Two Coreys, and renewed interest in The Lost Boys as a franchise.
Corey Haim died at 2:15 a.m. Wednesday at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, California. The cause of death has been reported as an accidental drug overdose. Whether the drugs involved were illegal substances or prescription medication Haim was taking to combat flulike symptoms is still under investigation.
Video game appearance aside, Corey Haim remains an iconic figure from the youth of many a gamer, like myself, that grew up in the 80's. His contributions to pop culture will be remembered.
Actor Corey Haim Dies at 38 [CBS News]