C. Northcote Parkinson
British naval historian
Paul Reubens, the American actor and comedian, was widely known for creating and portraying the iconic character Pee-wee Herman. He started his career with the Groundlings improv troupe and went on to produce and star in successful Pee-wee movies and TV shows, but also faced a career setback due to a 1991 arrest. Reubens continued to act in various shows and films over the years, and even revived the Pee-wee character in later projects.
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Paul Reubenswas 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. It was with the Groundlings that Reubens developed the Pee-wee character. 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 Adventureand 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.
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.
Paul Reubens was an American actor and comedian who is widely known for creating and portraying the character Pee-wee Herman.
Reubens developed the Pee-wee character while performing with the improv troupe The Groundlings in the 1970s.
Reubens’s arrest for indecent exposure in 1991 set off a chain reaction of national media attention, though he received support from people in the entertainment industry, and postponed his involvement in major projects until 1999.
Reubens produced and wrote the feature film Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, which was a financial and critical success, and starred as Pee-wee in the CBS Saturday-morning children’s program Pee-wee’s Playhouse, which won 15 Emmy Awards.
Reubens’s Pee-wee character maintained an enduring popularity with both children and adults, and Pee-wee’s Playhouse was later aired again on late-night television in the 2000s, during which TV Guide dubbed it among the top ten cult classic television programs.
In 2016, Reubens co-wrote and starred in the Netflix original film Pee-wee’s Big Holiday, reprising his role as Pee-wee Herman.
Paul Reubens died in July 2023 from cancer.
The public may think I’m weird. They may think I’m crazy or anything that anyone wants to think about me. That’s all fine. As long as one of the things you’re not thinking about me is that I’m a pedophile. Because that’s not true.
American actor and comedian (1952-2023)
I probably have become more infamous from two misdemeanors than probably anyone I could think of.
American actor and comedian (1952-2023)
Look at me, I’m getting defensive about something that happened so many years ago, somebody said. I’ll have to find out who that was and if he’s still alive.
American actor and comedian (1952-2023)
The moment that I realized my name was going to be said in the same sentence as children and sex, that’s really intense. That’s something I knew from that very moment, whatever happens past that point, something’s out there in the air that is really bad.
American actor and comedian (1952-2023)