Paul Reubens | |
|---|---|
 Reubens in 2016 | |
| Born | Paul Rubenfeld August 27, 1952 Peekskill, New York, U.S. |
| Died | July 30, 2023 (aged 70) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Education | |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1977–2023 |
| Father | Milton Rubenfeld |
| Relatives | Abby Rubenfeld (sister) |
| Website | peewee |
Paul Reubens (/ˈruːbənz/; né Rubenfeld; August 27, 1952 – July 30, 2023) was an American actor and comedian, widely known for creating and portraying the character Pee-wee Herman.
Reubens joined the Los Angeles troupe the Groundlings in the 1970s and started his career as an improvisational comedian and stage actor. Reubens developed his Pee-wee character at the Groundlings. After a failed audition for Saturday Night Live, Reubens debuted a stage show starring Pee-wee, The Pee-wee Herman Show, in 1981. Pee-wee became an instant cult figure and, for the next decade, Reubens was completely committed to his character, doing all of his public appearances and interviews as Pee-wee. He produced and wrote a feature film, Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985), directed by Tim Burton, which was a financial and critical success. Its sequel, Big Top Pee-wee (1988), was less successful. Between 1986 and 1990, Reubens starred as Pee-wee in the CBS Saturday-morning children's program Pee-wee's Playhouse.[1]
Reubens was arrested for indecent exposure in an adult theater in Sarasota, Florida, in 1991. The arrest set off a chain reaction of national media attention,[1][2] though he received support from people in the entertainment industry. The arrest postponed Reubens's involvement in major projects until 1999, when he appeared in several big-budget projects including Mystery Men (1999) and Blow (2001). Reubens subsequently started giving interviews as himself rather than as Pee-wee.
Reubens acted in numerous shows such as Murphy Brown, 30 Rock, Portlandia, and The Blacklist. He revived The Pee-wee Herman Show, which he performed in Los Angeles and on Broadway, in 2010. He co-wrote and starred in the Netflix original film Pee-wee's Big Holiday, reprising his role as Pee-wee Herman, in 2016.[3]
Reubens's Pee-wee character maintained an enduring popularity with both children and adults. Playhouse garnered 15 Emmy Awards during its initial run, and was aired again on late-night television in the 2000s, during which TV Guide dubbed it among the top ten cult classic television programs. Reubens died in July 2023 from cancer.[1]
- ^ a b c Shanfeld, Ethan (July 31, 2023). "Paul Reubens, Pee-wee Herman Actor, Dies at 70 After Private Bout of Cancer". Variety. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
- ^ Goldstein, Richard (January 14, 2003). "Persecuting Pee-wee Herman". The Village Voice. Retrieved October 13, 2008.
- ^ Keegan, Rebecca (March 17, 2016). "'Pee-wee's Big Holiday' takes some wrong turns". LA Times. Retrieved August 11, 2017.