Teen Idol Corey Haim Was "Very Broke, Destitute" When He Died
Credit: Michael Bezjian/WireImage.com
When he died at age 38 March 10, Corey Haim "was living in the Oakwood Apartments with his mom, very broke, very destitute," his longtime pal Corey Feldman said on CNN's Larry King Live Wednesday, noting that the Oakwood Apartments in Los Angeles is "month-to-month living."
Haim -- who filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 1997, listing debts for medical expenses and more than $200,000 in state and federal taxes -- "didn't even have a car," added Feldman.
PHOTOS: Look back at Corey Haim's life
In the end, Haim -- who won the heart of Hollywood in such 80s classics as The Lost Boys and Lucas -- "had nobody to turn to," Feldman said.
"I appreciate the fact that everybody really cares and -- and is trying to show their expression of sorrow right now, but at the end of the day, Larry, where were all these people the last 10 years, the last 15 years of Corey's life?" he asked.
"Where were all these people to lend a hand out, to reach out to him and say, you know, you're a legend ... you're an amazingly talented, wonderful person who's really never gone out of his way to hurt anybody other than himself," he went on.
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In the entertainment industry, "we build people up as children, we put them on pedestals and then when we decide that they're not marketable anymore, we walk away from them," said Feldman. "And then we taunt them and we tease them ... Why is it OK to kick somebody when they're down?"
Feldman said that Haim "very much felt that way ... we need to think about every time we laugh at somebody in the tabloids, or every time we poke a finger at somebody and say they're a joke or they're fat or they're a drug addict or they're washed up or they're a loser, we need to look at ourselves and say, who am I?"
VIDEO: See Corey Haim's most unforgettable movie moments
But Feldman admitted that Haim "burnt a lot of bridges in the industry. He made mistakes, as I did when I was young. I took 20 years of rebuilding to get to the point where I am today, where people actually take me seriously. Corey made a lot of mistakes for many years longer than I did. And it took him a lot longer to get to the point of recognition. However, once he got there, nobody was left to pull him back up."
Feldman stopped speaking to Haim in 2008 because the actor refused to get help for his substance-abuse problems. But recently, Haim "shaped up," Feldman said. "He got his act together. He was doing so much better."
PHOTOS: Us pays tribute to stars gone too soon
When Haim's mom was diagnosed with breast cancer, "it was the first time I ever saw Corey grow up. He was grown up. He was responsible. He was there with her every day [for] the chemotherapy. He was there with her everyday getting the radiation. I actually picked them both up from the hospital and drove them back to their apartment, because he didn't have a car."
Added Feldman, "It was the first time in my life that I had ever seen Corey really be that responsible, stand-up guy."
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53One of the issues with Mr Haim, appears to be the fact that he could never live-up to "status" he had as a celebrity so many years ago. Imagine the pressure? Cute kid turns out to be regular guy with no significant skills, but who "used to be" the "actor," Corey Haim.. The fact of the matter is, (kind of like that Dana Plato chick), many of these folks who lose their fame, and try desperately to get it back, MAY be a little too sensitive. Now, if you are sensitive AND you "like to party," you are going to have problems.. Include the fact that money (lack of) becomes an issue, ego gets in the way, and you start to "fell like a loser or has been," Out-the-door. Mr. Haim may have been a "sweet lovable person," as a few of you have written. So, ARE MANY unknown junkies who die of verdose. TIME TO MOVE ON. May he RIP.
You know what, everyone just needs to stop talking so much xxxx about Corey Haim! He was a WONDERFUL actor who had made many of our years GREAT from the roles he had played in numerous movies! I know I never knew him personally, but he was only human, and people make mistakes in their lives. I know I'm sure in the hell not perfect, but for some of you people to pass judgement on him is so !xo!xo! disrespectful and rude! This BEAUTIFUL person left this awful world too soon and all you can do is trash talk him, just shut the XXXX up! Corey, if you can hear me, who gives a XXXX what people think, you are a legend of many movies and many people admirer you for your talent. And EVERYONE has a dark side to them, including myself, but I felt I got to know you on a personal level on your reality show and you seemed like a FUNNY, SWEET, LOVABLE PERSON, who just wanted to be loved unconditionally. And you just wanted to make people smile and thats what was awesome about you! And another thing, stop talking trash on his best friend Feldman, he loved his best friend dearly and he's right don't go making accusations on his death b/c nobody knows. Respect that! All I know is that Corey is in a better place b/c all the people disrespeting him is just !#%x!%& ignorance and uncompassionate. He is in peace and doesn't have to listen to the bullXXXX that is coming out of some of these people's mouths. You are a BEAUTIFUL PERSON COREY HAIM, who cares what they say now, you can have anything you ever dreamed of NOW. I hope you are at PEACE! YOU LEFT A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART FOREVER!! XOXO
F- you Bobby....heartless piece of sh#t!
Another dead Hollywood junkie.
FAO Cheri, And you know the truth how exactly?? You are a close personal friend of both Coreys' are you?? No, didn't think so. And, don't call me limey... it's insultng. I didn't say anything personal about you, did I? So I suggest you stfu.
he was the worlds greates actor of mine and i will miss him so much he was my heart and soul and i wish that i was there to take care of him but i cant drive
Corey Feldman certainly jumped at the chance to get back in the media, even if it means cashing in on his dead pal.
Do your part and be a real person. Perform a random act of kindness every day to your fellow man. Peace-Love and Happiness will follow you every day of your life.
Feldman is absolutely right, people should be helping people NOW, showing them how they feel NOW, and being good to them NOW - Not Later. Too many people seem to forget about you until you are gone, the sad part is he was a good person, and needed help. Today, turn around and give someone else a hand-up not a hand-out.
I doubt he had millions to begin with. People are assuming he was a millionaire adn his money went to drugs. Most child actors in the 1980s didn't earn a lot and their agents didn't get them the residuals that actors now have in their contracts. No matter what it's a sad case. "Our greatset glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail" -Ralph Waldo Emerson
What happened to yesterday's announcement from Feldman when he requested privacy to grieve? There he was last night, all over Larry King babbling away, making comments about Haim's financial situation, etc. Shut up, Corey. Mourn your BFF/brother for awhile and LATER come out and talk.
At the end of the day Corey Haim was a broken out of work actor because of his choice to do drugs. He was lucky enough to a few good roles in his early years, then he forgot it was a job and u have to show up sober to do it.
I think HOLLYWOOD is different 4 everyone. U r paid 2 look & act a certain way. The HOLLYWOOD life treats everyone different. If I eat 2 much I'm fat, if I eat 2 little I have a eating disorder. 1 bad picture in the press can lead 2 alot of people talking about u--just ask Tyra Banks or Jessica Simpson. Corey H. didn't know how 2 deal with the pressure & turned 2 drugs, just like Anna Nicole & Heath Ledger. Not everyone has that close support group around them. Not everyone in HOLLYWOOD can be that grounded. Yes, it's his fault that he spent his millions on drugs instead of trying 2 get his life together, but it's 2 late 2 talk about what he could have done. Corey F. Is telling the truth in this interview. They grew-up in the HOLLYWOOD life 2gether. Corey F. broke off the friendship hoping, thinking Corey H. would come around & do the right thing. He's come a long way & has lost a dear friend--
Maybe he did make a lot of mistakes, but lets face it, we are without compassion in this country. People posting on the internet are the worst. Just because no one knows what you are saying doesn't make it right.
To all of you putting down Corey F. for walking away from Cory H: Until you go through this yourself and live it day in and day out you have no right to judge him! If you had watched their show on A&E you would have seen the way Corey F. tried and tried to help him. At some point you have to do tough love and that is what he did. They were dear friends and I am sorry to Corey F and Corey H's family for their loss..
Feldman is such a hypocritical jerk. How many times as he deserted Haim in recent years? MANY. He bailed on him as soon as his wife came around. And here he is trying to make everyone else feel guilty? Way to pass the blame Feldman. I hope you feel guilty. He needed you the most and you weren't there.
If Feldman is really his friend let's see him start taking care of Haim's mom, or at least visiting her once a week. That is what a true friend would do. But I have a feeling after his publicity grabbing is over he'll never see Haim's mom again.
JenniferW....You said it perfectly. I work with addicts everyday in the legal field and it's not easy for anyone to be close to an addict. Addicts are difficult to be with because they are very harmful to the people around them! It's not safe as much as you want to just be there 24/7 to make sure they don't die or kill someone someway, you have to think about yourself because it can consume you and destroy your own life without even doing drugs yourself and that's what people who critcize addicts don't understand. They also don't understand that even though they may have the perfect children who went to college and lose their jobs and feel that is more important, that anyone and any family is at risk at having to deal with this type of situation. Addiction is just prone to attack losers or the weak and even those coming from wonderful backgrounds are affected. Politicians, doctors, lawyers, tv and radio personalities, conservatives, christians, liberals. No one is immune. It looks like Feldman was the only one who tried and was there always. I had old friends who died due to drugs and I did nothing but knew what was going on. I couldn't even attend the funerals because of the shame I felt for not having done anything. I couldn't look their mothers in the eye knowing I could have at least picked up the darn phone. I couldn't go grieve publicly at their funeral knowing that I could have and may have done something to prevent them from leaving us all and even if they still would have died, the guilty of never knowing is bad enough. So I understand what Feldman was saying, completely.
I feel for Corey Feldman, and I can understand why he is so angry at those in the industry that are speaking out about how they lost "a friend", when they were never there for Corey Haim. It happens every time a young actor/actress passes away, their "friends" come out of the woodwork. I saw Corey Feldman on "Larry King" last night, and he is truly grieving for his friend and he is also trying to bring to light the fact that people had abadoned Corey Haim for many years...may those people know the line "But for grace of God go I", you never where life will lead, and the shoe could be on the other foot. I think any memorial or funeral should be attended by those that truly loved Corey Haim and are not there for the sake of redeeming themselves. May Corey Haim rest in peace, and wait until his autopsy comes out to conclude what he passed away from.
I would call him a legend. Maybe because I grew up with the two Corey's and they played a large role in my teen years. People have questions and Feldman tried to answer them and is being blasted because he went on Larry King! Get over it people. These people are human and deserve respect.