Actor Paul Reubens, who came to fame in the 1980s as children’s TV star Pee-wee Herman, has died years after a cancer diagnosis, his team said Monday.
He was 70.
Reubens began his career in the 1970s after joining the Los Angeles live comedy troupe the Groundlings as an improvisational comedian and stage actor.
In 1980, he launched “The Pee-wee Herman Show,” a stage production centered on a fictional character he had been developing for years.
As Pee-wee became a cult figure, Reubens’ show ran for five sold-out months, and he landed a special at HBO. Reubens also committed to the character in his interviews and public appearances.
In 1985, he teamed with Tim Burton on “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure,” the character’s feature film debut, which was a critical and commercial success.
The character transitioned to television from 1986 to 1990, on CBS’ weekend morning show “Pee-wee’s Playhouse.”
Reubens’ image as a beloved childhood hero was tarnished when, in 1991, he was arrested for indecent exposure at an adult movie theater in Sarasota, Fla.
At the center of a national sex scandal, Reubens backed away from Pee-wee and began doing press as himself.
in 2002 he was charged with possessing images that were initially characterized as child pornography. The latter charges were dropped in 2004 when Reubens pleaded guilty to a lesser obscenity charge.
He wouldn’t again reprise the iconic role until 2010, when he revived “The Pee-wee Herman Show” on Broadway.
Paul Reubens, actor best known as Pee-wee Herman, dies at 70. Paul Reubens, actor best known as Pee-wee Herman, dies at 70