Paul Reubens, the actor who rose to fame as the iconic character Pee-wee Herman, died this week after a long fighter with cancer. He was 70 years old.
The news was confirmed on Reubens’ official social media accounts, along with the following message:
Last night we said farewell to Paul Reubens, an iconic American actor, comedian, writer and producer whose beloved character Pee-wee Herman delighted generations of children and adults with his positivity, whimsy and belief in the importance of kindness. Paul bravely and privately fought cancer for years with his trademark tenacity and wit. A gifted and prolific talent, he will forever live in the comedy pantheon and in our hearts as a treasured friend and man of remarkable character and generosity of spirit.
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The posts also came with a quote from Reubens himself: “Please accept my apology for not going public with what I’ve been facing the last six years. I have always felt a huge amount of love and respect from my friends, fans and supporters. I have loved you all so much and enjoyed making art for you.”
And it truly was art that Reubens made. Early on in his comedy career, he created the unforgettable Pee-wee character who immediately captivated audiences both on stage and on television. Quickly, he rose to superstardom with the 1985 Tim Burton movie Pee-wee’s Big Adventure followed by the TV show Pee-wee’s Playhouse.
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Pee-wee was just the most unique, incredible character. He was both creepy and weird but also adorable and loving at the same time. It was a tonal master class of character creation and acting by Reubens, and that ability to live in both the adult and children’s spaces simultaneously is why the character has endured for decades, on screen, stage, and television, all the way up until his feature return in 2016’s Pee-wee’s Big Holiday.
Of course, Reubens famously was arrested for indecent exposure in 1991—but after some time away, he exploded back onto the scene with roles in films like Mystery Men and Blow, as well as TV shows like 30 Rock and The Blacklist. He even had his toes in Star Wars, as the voice of Star Tours pilot RX-24, who has since become a permanent fixture in Oga’s Cantina in the Galaxy’s Edge theme parks. Yes, the voice you hear there is Reubens.
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That’s just the tip of the iceberg too. It was a career and life of incredible highs and sad lows, but there’s no doubt that few actors of his generation had as much of an impact as Reubens. He’ll be remembered forever for his genius and talent.
For his final wish, in those aforementioned social media posts, Reubens asked that fans wishing to express sympathy for him do so in the name of his late parents Judy and Milton Rubenfeld, and ideally to organizations such as Stand Up to Cancer or anything involved in dementia and Alzheimer’s research.
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