- Wikipedia

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Paul Reubens
Reubens in 2016
Born	Paul Rubenfeld (1952-08-27)August 27, 1952 Peekskill, New York, U.S.
Died	July 30, 2023(2023-07-30) (aged 70) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Resting place	Hollywood Forever Cemetery
Education	Boston University California Institute of the Arts (BFA)
Occupations	Actor comedian writer producer
Years active	1977\u20132023
Father	Milton Rubenfeld
Relatives	Abby Rubenfeld (sister)
Website	peewee.com

Paul Reubens (/\u02c8ru\u02d0b\u0259nz/; n\u00e9 Rubenfeld; August 27, 1952 \u2013 July 30, 2023) was an American actor and comedian, widely known for creating and portraying the character Pee-wee Herman.\n

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]\n

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.\n

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]\n

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]\n

\n\n

Year\n	Title\n	Role\n	Notes\n
1980\n	Pray TV^[125]\n	Jack Chudnowski\n	\n
Midnight Madness^[126]\n	Pinball City Proprietor\n	\n
The Blues Brothers^[126]\n	Chez Paul waiter\n	\n
Cheech and Chong's Next Movie^[125]\n	Pee-wee Herman/Desk Clerk\n	\n
1981\n	Nice Dreams^[32]\n	Howie Hamburger Dude\n	\n
Dream On!^[126]\n	\n	\n
1982\n	Pandemonium^[125]\n	Johnson\n	\n
1984\n	Meatballs Part II^[125]\n	Albert / Hara Krishna\n	\n
1985\n	Pee-wee's Big Adventure^[125]\n	Pee-wee Herman\n	Also writer\n
1986\n	Flight of the Navigator^[125]^[127]\n	Trimaxion/Max\n	Voice; credited as Paul Mall\n
1987\n	Back to the Beach^[125]\n	Pee-wee Herman\n	\n
1988\n	Big Top Pee-wee^[125]\n	Also writer and producer Nominated \u2014 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards for Favorite Movie Actor^{[citation needed]}\n
1992\n	Batman Returns^[126]\n	Tucker Cobblepot\n	\n
Buffy the Vampire Slayer^[125]\n	Amilyn\n	\n
1993\n	The Nightmare Before Christmas^[125]^[127]\n	Lock\n	Voice\n
1996\n	Dunston Checks In^[125]\n	Buck LaFarge\n	\n
Matilda^[125]\n	FBI Agent Bob\n	\n
1997\n	Buddy^[125]\n	Professor Spatz\n	\n
Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas^[125]^[127]\n	Fife\n	Voice, direct-to-video\n
1998\n	Dr. Dolittle^[126]^[127]\n	Raccoon\n	Voice\n
1999\n	Mystery Men^[125]\n	The Spleen\n	\n
2000\n	South of Heaven, West of Hell^[125]\n	Arvid Henry\n	\n
2001\n	Blow^[125]\n	Derek Foreal\n	\n
2004\n	Teacher's Pet^[125]^[127]\n	Dennis\n	Voice\n
2006\n	The Tripper^[125]\n	Frank Baker\n	\n
2007\n	Reno 911!: Miami^[126]\n	Sir Terrence Benedino\n	\n
2009\n	Life During Wartime^[125]\n	Andy\n	\n
2011\n	The Smurfs^[125]^[127]\n	Jokey Smurf\n	Voice\n
2013\n	The Smurfs 2^[126]\n
Tom and Jerry's Giant Adventure^[125]^[127]\n	Screwy Squirrel\n	Voice, direct-to-video\n
Scooby-Doo! Mecha Mutt Menace^[126]^[127]\n	Irv\n
2015\n	Accidental Love^[125]\n	Edwin\n	\n
2016\n	Pee-wee's Big Holiday^[125]\n	Pee-wee Herman\n	Also writer and producer\n
2023\n	Quiz Lady^[128]\n	Himself\n	Posthumous release (Final film role)\n

Year\n	Title\n	Role\n	Notes\n
1979\n	Working Stiffs^[129]\n	Heimlich\n	2 episodes\n
1980\u20131981\n	The Flintstone Comedy Show\n	Freaky Frankenstone\n	Voice, 18 episodes (The Frankenstones segment)\n
1980\n	Steve Martin: Comedy Is Not Pretty^[130]\n	Various roles\n	Television special\n
Steve Martin: All Commercials^[131]\n
1981\n	Mork & Mindy^[125]\n	Dickie Nimitz\n	Episode: \"Long Before We Met\"\n
The Pee-wee Herman Show^[125]\n	Pee-wee Herman\n	Television special\n
1982\n	Madame's Place^[125]\n	Himself\n	Season: 1 Episode: 34\n
1984\n	Faerie Tale Theatre^[125]\n	Pinocchio\n	Season: 3 Episode: 3 \"Pinocchio\"\n
Cheeseball Presents^[132]\n	Pee-wee Herman\n	TV movie\n
1985\n	Saturday Night Live^[125]\n	Pee-wee Herman (host)\n	Episode: \"Pee-wee Herman/Queen Ida & The Bon Temps Zydeco Band\"\n
1986\u20131990\n	Pee-wee's Playhouse^[125]\n	Pee-wee Herman\n	45 episodes; also creator, writer, director, executive producer and set decorator Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction/Set Direction/Scenic Design (1988) Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Graphics and Title Design (1991) Nominated \u2013 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in Children's Programming (1987\u20131988, 1990\u20131991) Nominated \u2013 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Series (1987, 1990\u20131991) Nominated \u2013 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing For A Children's Series (1987\u20131988) Nominated \u2013 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing For A Children's Series (1988, 1990\u20131991) Nominated \u2013 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction/Set Decoration/Scenic Design (1989\u20131991)^[133]\n
1987\n	227^[125]\n	Episode: \"Toyland\"\n
1988\n	Sesame Street^[125]\n	Episode: \"Put Down the Duckie\"\n
Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special^[126]\n	Television special; also writer, director and executive producer\n
1995\u20131997\n	Murphy Brown^[125]\n	Andrew J. Lansing III\n	6 episodes Nominated \u2013 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series (1995)^[133]\n
2000\n	Everybody Loves Raymond^[125]\n	Russell\n	Episode: \"Hackidu\"\n
2001\n	You Don't Know Jack^[125]\n	Troy Stevens\n	6 episodes\n
Ally McBeal^[125]\n	Louis\n	Episode: \"Cloudy Skies, Chance of Parade\"\n
2002\n	Rugrats^[125]^[127]\n	Hermie the Elf\n	Voice, episode: \"Babies in Toyland\"\n
The Groovenians^[126]^[127]\n	Jet\n	Voice; pilot\n
2005\n	Tripping the Rift^[125]^[127]\n	God / Devil\n	Voice, episode: \"Chode's Near Death-Experience\"\n
2006\n	Campus Ladies^[134]\n	Drama instructor\n	Episode: \"Drama Class\"\n
Reno 911!^[125]\n	Rick\n	Episode: \"Rick's On It\"\n
Re-Animated^[126]^[127]\n	Golly Gopher\n	Voice, television film\n
2007\n	Area 57^[135]\n	Alien\n	Pilot\n
30 Rock^[125]\n	Gerhardt Hapsburg\n	Episode: \"Black Tie\"\n
Dirt^[125]\n	Chuck Lafoon\n	3 episodes\n
Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!^[126]\n	The Moon\n	Episode: \"Cats\"\n
Pushing Daisies^[125]\n	Oscar Vibenius\n	2 episodes\n
2007\u20132009\n	Chowder^[136]^[127]\n	Reuben\n	Voice, 3 episodes\n
2009\u20132011\n	Batman: The Brave and the Bold^[126]^[127]\n	Bat-Mite\n	Voice, 4 episodes\n
2010\n	Adventure Time^[125]^[127]\n	Gnome Ruler, Dancing Bug\n	Voice, episode: \"Power Animal\"\n
WWE Raw^[126]\n	Pee-wee Herman\n	1 episode; special guest\n
2011\n	The Pee-wee Herman Show on Broadway^[126]\n	Pee-wee Herman\n	Television special Nominated \u2013 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music, or Comedy Special^[133]\n
2012\u20132013\n	Tron: Uprising^[125]^[127]\n	Pavel\n	Voice, 17 episodes\n
2012\u20132015\n	Robot Chicken^[137]\n	The Riddler / Sunbather\n	Voice, 3 episodes\n
2013\n	Comedy Bang! Bang!^[125]\n	Pee-wee Herman\n	Episode: \"Pee Wee Herman Wears a Halloween Costume\"\n
2014\n	Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles^[126]^[127]\n	Martin Milton/Sir Malachi\n	Voice, episode: \"Mazes and Mutants\"\n
Sanjay and Craig^[125]^[127]\n	Benji Warlin\n	Voice, episode: \"Googas\"\n
Star Wars Rebels^[138]^[127]\n	RX-24\n	Voice, episode: \"Droids in Distress\"\n
Lego DC Comics: Batman Be-Leaguered^[126]^[127]^[139]\n	Bat-Mite\n	Voice, television film\n
Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness\n	Ju Long\n	Voice, episode: \"The Hunger Game\"^[127]\n
Phineas and Ferb^[140]^[127]\n	Professor Parenthesis\n	Voice, episode: \"The O.W.C.A. Files\"\n
2014 & 2016\n	American Dad!^[125]\n	Wyatt Borden\n	Voice, episode: \"Blagsnarst, a Love Story\"\n
2014\u20132015\n	The Blacklist^[125]\n	Mr. Vargas\n	5 episodes\n
2015\n	Portlandia^[125]\n	Weirdos' Lawyer\n	Episode: \"Dead Pets\"\n
Turbo Fast\n	Tycho\n	Voice, episode: \"Turboldly Go\"^[127]\n
2015\u20132016\n	Pickle and Peanut^[125]\n	Couch Dracula\n	Voice, 2 episodes\n
2015\u20132017\n	Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero^[125]^[127]\n	Milk Man, Butterman\n	Voice, 3 episodes\n
2016\u20132017\n	Gotham^[125]\n	Elijah Van Dahl\n	3 episodes\n
2017\u20132018\n	Voltron: Legendary Defender^[126]\n	Unliu Swap Shop Owner\n	Voice, 3 episodes\n
2018\n	Mosaic^[125]\n	JC Schiffer\n	7 episodes\n
2018\u20132019\n	Legends of Tomorrow^[126]\n	Dybbuk\n	Voice, 5 episodes\n
2019\n	Tigtone\n	Cryptomb\n	Voice, episode: \"Tigtone and the Cemetery of the Dead\"\n
What We Do in the Shadows^[141]\n	Paul\n	Episode: \"The Trial\"\n
The Conners^[142]\n	Sandy Bitensky\n	Episode: \"Lanford, Toilet of Sin\"\n
2021\n	The Tom and Jerry Show\n	Pontius Pig\n	Voice, episode: \"Sock It to Me\"\n
2023\n	Bob's Burgers\n	Pat\n	Voice, episode: \"Amelia\" (Final role; dedicated in memory)^[143]^[144]\n
2025\n	Pee-wee as Himself\n	Himself\n	Two-part documentary series, posthumous release\n

Year\n	Title\n	Voice role\n
2004\n	The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie's Revenge\n	Lock^[145]\n
2015\n	Minecraft: Story Mode\n	Ivor^[146]^[127]\n
2016\n	Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare\n	Willard Wyler^[147]\n
2017\n	Minecraft: Story Mode - Season 2\n	Ivor^[148]^[127]\n

v t e Pee-wee Herman
Paul Reubens
Stage show	\n The Pee-wee Herman Show \n
TV series	\n Pee-wee's Playhouse\n episodes \n
Films	\n Pee-wee's Big Adventure \n Big Top Pee-wee \n Pee-wee's Big Holiday \n

Authority control databases $\"Edit$
International	ISNI VIAF FAST WorldCat
National	Germany United States France BnF data Spain Netherlands Norway Korea Poland Israel
Artists	MusicBrainz 2 RKD Artists Museum of Modern Art Emmy Awards
Other	IdRef SNAC

Early life and education

Career

1977\u20131979: Comedy beginnings

1981\u20131984: The Pee-wee Herman Show

1985: Pee-wee's Big Adventure

1986\u20131991: Pee-wee's Playhouse

1992\u20132002: Public retreat and comeback

2004\u20132008: Cameos and guest appearances

2009\u20132023: Revival and later work

Undeveloped scripts

Personal life

Legal issues

1991 arrest

2002\u20132004: Subsequent charges

Reception and legacy

Death

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

References

External links

Paul Reubens

Talks

7 November, 1991