Paul Reubens (born Paul Rubenfeld; August 27, 1952 - July 30, 2023) was an American actor, writer, producer, and comedian, best known for portraying Pee-wee Herman.
Reubens joined the Groundlings in the 1970s and started his career as an improvisational comedian and stage actor.
In 1982, Reubens put up a show about a character he had been developing during the last few years. The series was called The Pee-wee Herman Show and it ran for 5 sellout months with HBO producing a successful special with it. Pee-wee became an instant cult figure and for the next decade, Reubens would be completely committed to his character, doing all of his public appearances and interviews as Pee-wee.
In 1985, Pee Wee's Big Adventure, directed by the then-unknown Tim Burton, was a financial success and, despite receiving mixed reviews, it developed into a cult film.
Big Top Pee-wee, 1988's sequel, was less successful than its predecessor.
Between 1986 and 1990, Reubens starred as Pee-wee in Pee Wee's Playhouse.
He also did voice roles for shows like Randy Cunningham: 9th Ninja, Minecraft Story Mode, Adventure Time, Tron Uprising, Batman The Brave and Bold, and many others.
Reubens passed away at age 70 on July 30, 2023, after a battle with cancer. He had been keeping his condition private.
Episodes Acted In:
Robot Chicken DC Comics Special
- The Punctuation Posse (Riddler)
- Sinestro's Final Moment (Riddler)
- Aquaman Appreciation Party (Riddler)
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