Former teen star-turned-reality show fixture Corey Haim has died of an apparent overdose, TMZ is reporting. And, sadly, TMZ tends to be right about these things. Haim was unavoidable in the '80s and early '90s, appearing as a kid star in films like Secret Admirer then finding a breakout role a the sensitive, bullied teen in Lucas. His career continued an upward slope thanks to The Lost Boys, a stylish vampire hit that paired him for the first tim with Corey Feldman, the era's other teen idol named Corey. The two would team again in teen-targeted movies like License To Drive and Dream A Little Dream.
Haim's second act, however, proved much rockier, as his career faltered and his drug use escalated. He became a fixture of direct-to-video films like Snowboard Academy in the '90s and declared bankruptcy in 1997. Attempts to clean up and reenter the industry followed. Haim's best chance at a comeback came in the form of the (heavily manipulated) 2007 reality show The Two Coreys, again co-starring Feldman. The show ended after two seasons with Feldman refusing to speak to his co-star until he cleaned up again.
Details are still emerging. Haim has so long been the butt of jokes about Hollywood burnouts, it's tough to think of him burning out for good. But before mocking him, remember him for a moment as an actor who meant a lot to many people for a while before his long, slow, self-perpetuated fade. And one whose career began with a promise he never found a way to fulfill.