Paul Reubens
Paul Reubens was an American actor and comedian who was famously known for creating and portraying the iconic character Pee-wee Herman.
Reubens grew up in Sarasota, Florida, where he attended Sarasota High School and became interested in theater and comedy. He studied drama at Boston University and California Institute of the Arts before joining The Groundlings in Los Angeles.
In the early 1980s, Paul Reubens created the character Pee-wee Herman, a childlike, eccentric, and bow-tied persona with a distinctive high-pitched voice. Pee-wee Herman quickly became a pop culture sensation through a stage show, television series, and feature films.
“Pee-wee’s Playhouse” was a popular children’s television show that ran from 1986 to 1991. The show earned critical acclaim and several Emmy Awards for its creativity and imaginative characters.
Paul Reubens Death
Reubens died on July 30, 2023, at the age of 70. He had been privately battling cancer for six years, according to a statement from his estate. His death was announced on his official social media accounts, along with a message from Reubens himself, apologizing for not going public with his illness and expressing his gratitude to his fans and friends. The statement read;
“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.”
Paul Reubens Message
Prior to his death, Reubens wrote a message to his fans and friends for not going public with his illness. The message read;
Paul Reubens Age
Paul Reubens was born on August 27, 1952, in Peekskill, New York. He died on July 30, 2023, at the age of 70.
Paul Reubens Married
Reubens was never married, but he had a few romantic relationships in his life. He was reportedly briefly married to Chandi Heffner, in “an impromptu mock wedding ceremony in 1989. The marriage was reportedly arranged by their guru, but it ended in divorce after a few months. Reubens later dated actress Debi Mazar for several years in the 1990s. They met on the set of Batman Returns (1992), where Reubens played the Penguin’s father and Mazar played his mother.
Paul Reubens Wife
As mentioned above, Reubens was never married to anyone except for Chandi Heffner for a short period of time. He did not have any children either.
Paul Reubens Pee-wee Herman
Pee-wee Herman is a fictional character created and played by Paul. Pee-wee Herman is a childlike, eccentric man with a distinctive appearance, including his iconic gray suit, red bow tie, and high-pitched voice. The character became widely popular through various television shows, films, and stage performances.
“Pee-wee’s Playhouse,” a children’s television show that aired from 1986 to 1991, brought Pee-wee Herman to national prominence. The show featured a mix of live-action and puppetry and introduced viewers to a vibrant and imaginative world full of quirky characters.
Reubens also starred as Pee-wee Herman in the 1985 feature film “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure,” directed by Tim Burton, which received critical acclaim and became a cult classic. He reprised the role in “Big Top Pee-wee” (1988) and “Pee-wee’s Big Holiday” (2016).
Paul Reubens Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Reubens played Amilyn, a vampire minion of the main villain Lothos, in the 1992 film Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He was one of the comic relief characters in the movie, which starred Kristy Swanson as Buffy Summers, a high school cheerleader who discovers that she is destined to slay vampires. Reubens’ most memorable scene was when he was staked by Buffy and died in an exaggerated and prolonged manner, making funny noises and faces. He later reprised his role as Amilyn in an episode of Robot Chicken (2005), where he spoofed his own death scene.
Paul Reubens Adventure Time
Reubens voiced the character of Goober, a friendly but dim-witted candy person, in the animated series Adventure Time. He appeared in two episodes of the show, “Too Young” (2011) and “Gumbaldia” (2018). He also voiced the character of Puzzle in the episode “The Tower” (2014), a sentient puzzle that Finn tries to solve in order to reach his father.
Paul Reubens Amilyn
Reubens played Amilyn, a vampire minion of the main villain Lothos, in the 1992 film Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Paul Reubens Cheech and Chong Hamburger
Reubens played Howie Hamburger Dude, a fast-food employee who sells tainted hamburgers to Cheech and Chong, in the 1981 comedy film Nice Dreams. He also appeared as a desk clerk in their previous film, Cheech & Chong’s Next Movie (1980).
Paul Reubens Net Worth
Reubens had a net worth of $5 million at the time of his death, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
Paul Reubens Movies and TV Shows
- Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (1985) – as Pee-wee Herman
- Big Top Pee-wee (1988) – as Pee-wee Herman
- Batman Returns (1992) – as Penguin’s father
- Matilda (1996) – as FBI Agent Bob
- Mystery Men (1999) – as Spleen
- Blow (2001) – as Derek Foreal
- The Tripper (2006) – as Frank Baker
- Reno 911!: Miami (2007) – as Travis Junior
- Life During Wartime (2009) – as Andy
- Pee-wee’s Big Holiday (2016) – as Pee-wee Herman (Netflix original film)
TV shows
- The Gong Show (1977) – as The Hamburger Dude
- The Pee-wee Herman Show (1981) – as Pee-wee Herman (HBO special)
- Pee-wee’s Playhouse (1986-1991) – as Pee-wee Herman (TV series)
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992) – as Amilyn (Film, uncredited)
- Murphy Brown (1993) – as Andrew J. Lansing III
- 30 Rock (2008) – as Gerhardt Hapsburg
- Pushing Daisies (2008) – as Oscar Vibenius
- Reno 911! (2009-2020) – as Terry Bernadino (TV series)
- Gotham (2015-2019) – as Elijah Van Dahl
- The Blacklist (2017) – as Mr. Vargas
- Star Wars Rebels (2018) – as RX-24 (voice)
- The Mandalorian (2019) – as RX-24 (voice)