Heartthrob teen actors and the 1980s seem to go in hand for whatever reason. Maybe it has to do with the big hair, the now-bizarre catch phrases, the complete change in what constitutes as a “cool” attitude, or a combination of the three. Two actors that could be said to have constituted as heartthrobs in the 1980s are Corey Feldman and Corey Haim, whose work in similar genres and eventual collaboration led them to be known under one term. Their similarities also expanded to include the facts that they were both born in the same year and that they are both Jewish. The situation is a rather unique one to this day, and as most unique situations nowadays are handled, a reality show was created. Called The Two Coreys, the show follows the two actors and Feldman’s wife, Susie Sprague, as they go about their lives. A feud has marred the relationship between the two Coreys, but who knows what the future holds?

Corey Feldman and Corey Haim make up the titular duo. Feldman was born in California on July 16, 1971, to a cocktail waitress and a rock producer and musician. He has two brothers and two sisters, and his sister Mindy Feldman was one of the members of the new Mickey Mouse Club in the 1970s at the age of six. Feldman’s career started at the age of three when he starred in a McDonald’s commercial. He appeared in the popular television series Cheers as a Little Leaguer that Coach would supervise. Feldman’s first appearance on the big screen was in the movie Time After Time. He followed it up with an appearance in The Fox and the Hound and got a starring role in 1984’s Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter. The cult classic The Goonies featured Feldman’s acting work as one of the rebellious kids, forever keeping him in the minds of 80’s kids who like to reminisce. He would also star in Stand by Me. Throughout the 1990s, his career was not as active as before, and one of his biggest accomplishments was publicly battling drug abuse. Later in life, Feldman would chastise parents that would allow their children to become child stars, stating that not being able to live a normal life is damaging.

Corey Haim was born in Toronto, Canada, on December 23, 1971 to a computer operator and a salesman. Shy as a child, he was enrolled in acting classes to overcome his shyness, but was instead more fascinated by activities like comic book collecting and ice hockey. His first big acting gig was as Larry in the Canadian family sitcom The Edison Twins which ran from 1982 to 1986. His first cinematic appearance was in the 1984 film Firstborn which also starred Sarah Jessica Parker and Robert Downey Jr. Throughout the latter half of the 1980s, Haim’s talent would earn him accolades that included a Young Artist Award as an Exceptional Young Artists Starring in a Television Special or a Movie for the Week. Appearances in movies such as 1986’s Lucas put Haim in the national spotlight, with even the likes of Roger Ebert giving the young actor favorable reviews.

It was also in the latter half of the 1980s when the partnership between Feldman and Haim would be born. Joel Schumacher’s vampire film The Lost Boys was released in 1987, starring the two Coreys, Jason Patric, and Kiefer Southerland. The film was well received by critics and audiences alike and it was the first project in which the two Coreys worked together. Their next project together was License to Drive, a teen comedy that starred Haim and co-starred Feldman. It fared well with audiences, becoming a financial success that would further fuel the fame that the two Coreys were beginning to enjoy. In 1989, the pair would reunite to film Dream a Little Dream, a cult classic that spawned a number one single for Michael Damian in the song Rock On. The two Coreys would appear in the music video for the song as well. By now, the two had begun to split apart and pursue solo projects, although both faced difficult personal struggles during the 1990s: while Feldman publicly battled drugs, Haim had financial struggles, filing for bankruptcy in 1997.

The two Coreys could be said to have had their comeback in 2006, when the filming of the reality/improve show The Two Coreys began. Previously, the two had become former teen stars whose career was expected to remain rather stale, but the fresh project created interest in what seemed to be relics from the 1980s. The first season premiered on the A&E Network on July 29, 2007. Although it is based on their lives as professional actors and takes into account their Hollywood history together, it is not meant to be a direct parallel as far as the personas of the characters are concerned. Throughout the first seasons, the two Coreys would be faced with many scenarios that would test their friendship, and by the end of the first season, it seems as though their brotherly bond has been broken. Their professional relationship is also challenged, with the two actors butting heads over creative disputes that would make it difficult for the two to work together in any projects.

With the second season, the two Coreys take a deeper look at both their personal and professional relationships. Everything is fair game for the cameras, so the viewer gets an in-depth look at the interactions between the two. One of the more appealing aspects of their interaction is the fact that they are so open and honest. As they continue to grow apart, it becomes clear that they need to do something to rekindle their friendship; much of the second season is this journey of rediscovery. Throughout this journey, the two attend therapy sessions, reveal inner demons that haunt them and deal with their past, which is both full of fond memories and rife with things that need to be dealt with. All in all, The Two Coreys provides an insight to the rather mysterious effects that teen stardom can have on a person, especially in the interesting scenario that the two Coreys have.

There will not be a third season of The Two Coreys because the show was cancelled by A&E Television. Feldman confides that he would not have collaborated anyway with Haim because of the fact that Haim still has addiction issues to take care of – Haim was reportedly heard by A&E microphones sniffing an unidentified substance. Because of the incidence, the two Coreys are either temporarily or permanently split, as only time can tell. One fact that points to a possible reunion is that the two have signed on to be a part of the third installment in the Lost Boys series. Regardless of whether or not the two Coreys decide to rekindle their friendship once again, their unique method of taking on Hollywood has left its stamp on the minds of 1980s children whose movie history includes such films as License to Drive or Lost Boys. The two Coreys continue to be named as some of the more influential teen stars in Hollywood history, something to be proud of.