The two Coreys
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The two Coreys--or, simply, "The Coreys"--is a reference to two popular child actors from the 1980s, Corey Feldman and Corey Haim, who appeared in many films together - most notably, a number of successful teen-oriented films in the late 1980s.
Feldman starred in Gremlins and The Goonies, while Haim starred in Silver Bullet and Lucas before being joined together in the movie The Lost Boys in 1987. Haim had auditioned for Feldman's part in The Goonies as had Feldman auditioned for Haim's part Lucas, but the two never met until pre-production for The Lost Boys. The reference to the two Coreys became a joke because it played on the fact they had the same first name and people treated them like they were interchangeable.
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[edit] Career
[edit] The Lost Boys
- Further information: The Lost Boys
Prior to The Lost Boys both Coreys had not previously interacted on-screen or off. Feldman's relationship with Haim began after he was cast as Edgar Frog in the film.
Haim played Sam, whose brother is suspected of being a vampire by Sam and the local vampire hunters, the Frog brothers (played by Feldman and Jamison Newlander). The two form a friendship on screen which sees them set out to save his brother and rid the town of its renowned vampire infestation. The film was incredibly popular, considering its R-rating in the United States, and its $30 million gross at the box office was no mean feat. Having two actors on screen the same age with the same first name became somewhat of a novelty. Following public appearances and the success of the film, the two became known as the two Coreys, the name promoted in particular by teen magazines.
[edit] License to Drive
- Further information: License to Drive
Similar to events in the past, both Coreys were auditioning for the same role in a film. License to Drive, written by National Lampoon writer Neil Tolkin followed a teenager who failed his driving test but takes out his grandfather's Cadillac without permission on a Saturday night. Feldman thought that the role of Les, the main character would be perfect for him at this point in his career as his previous affairs had been supporting characters, primarily in The Goonies, Stand By Me and The Lost Boys, he wanted the role so he could have a whole film rest on his own shoulders. Haim also auditioned for the role, both Coreys knew that each other were looking for a role in the film but they never quite knew if they were going for the same part.
The film opened on July 8, 1988 and grossed over $22 million at the domestic box office. Following its release the pair were considered two of the most popular teenage actors at the time.
[edit] Dream a Little Dream
- Further information: Dream a Little Dream
Following the success of License to Drive the pair were cast in the 1989 comedy/drama Dream a Little Dream, where unlike License to Drive, Feldman was the lead and Haim was playing a supporting character. The film followed Bobby Keller, played by Feldman who after colliding with high school girl Lainie, played by Meredith Salenger whilst taking a shortcut, switches bodies with an elderly man, played by Jason Robards who was exercising a meditation activity in his backyard with his wife. The film whilst arguably as popular and famous as the previous two Coreys' affairs, was released in only 1,019 theaters and grossing $5,552,441 in the United States, considerably less than License to Drive and The Lost Boys.
[edit] Other
The Coreys pursued fairly different careers during the 1990s but were still cast in four more films, due to their decline in popularity and absence from theatrically released films, the rest of their collaborations were all direct to video but still had a fairly strong following due to their success in the 1980s. Both actors say that they are still close friends to this day, however.
- Blown Away (1992)
- Dream a Little Dream 2 (1994)
- National Lampoon's Last Resort (1994)
- Busted (1996)
[edit] Trivia
- In the 2003 film, Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star Haim & Feldman both appear in the credits, singing on the song "Child Stars on Television". They mostly sing with the rest of the group, but they do sing two lines in the song.
- Both Coreys are of Jewish descent.
- In the TV show, Big Wolf on Campus both Coreys appear as themselves. However, they do not appear in the same episode although, their appearances are connected - Haim appears first, then Feldman appears in the final season, looking for Haim. The story was that during the making of The Lost Boys they were actually turned into vampires. Haim is "killed" by the end of his episode, and Feldman reveals that he is a vampire hunter looking for Haim but turns out to be a vampire as well.
- In an episode of Family Guy, Brian sings to an old reclusive woman about life after the 1960s a song which includes the lyric, "We're not too far from voting Feldman-Haim", and he proceeds to reveal an election banner which reads, "Corey x2 in 2004." In another episode, Stewie, wandering a sewer, sees the Goonies followed later by Haim. Haim states that he is not with the goonies, but rather lives in the sewer, before catching, killing, and eating a sewer rat.
- In a season two episode of Robot Chicken (in a segment called "Corey & Corey Save the World"), the two Coreys, who provide their own voices, try to rescue the Bush twins (Barbara and Jenna) when their helicopter crashes in Brazil on the way to a USO Tour event. The two Coreys take a bus to South America and wander into a bar looking for the Twins. When they end up in a bar fight with the locals, Dustin Diamond ("Screech" from Saved by the Bell) saves the two and gives them the location of the Twins. When the partying twins refuse to return to the States, the two Coreys masquerade as the Twins, fooling the President, who says, "Anyone who hates the Coreys, also hates America".