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Pee-wee Herman Actor Paul Reubens Dead at 70

Pee-wee Herman Actor Paul Reubens Dead at 70

Paul Reubens, the actor best known for playing the comedic TV and movie personality Pee-wee Herman, has passed away at the age of 70. As detailed on Pee-wee Herman social media pages, the actor’s death follows a private battle with cancer that took place over six years. Reubens shared one final message with fans apologizing for his silence on the matter:

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“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.”

Reubens’ career highlight is no doubt the time he spent entertaining the masses as Pee-wee Herman, but his career in comedy got its start in the ‘70s. It wasn’t until the early 1980s that The Pee-wee Herman Show would make its way to audiences for the first time, with additional projects like Pee-wee’s Playhouse, Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, Big Top Pee-wee, and Pee-wee’s Big Holiday following in the future. Reubens’ character and comedy quickly propelled him into becoming a pop-culture icon that managed to stand the test of time.

“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,” a statement posted on the Pee-wee Herman Instagram says. “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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Michael Cripe
Michael joined The Escapist team in 2019 but has been covering games, movies, TV, and music since 2015. When he’s not writing, Michael is probably playing Super Mario Sunshine, Dead Space, The Binding of Isaac, or Doom Eternal. You can follow his news coverage and reviews at The Escapist, but his work has appeared on other sites like OnlySP, Gameranx, and Kansas City’s The Pitch, too. If you’d like to connect and talk about the latest pop-culture news, you can follow Michael on Twitter (@MikeCripe), Instagram (mike_cripe), or LinkedIn if that’s your thing.