Paul Reubens, the actor best known as Pee-wee Herman, died at 70 years of age Sunday night after a private bout of cancer.
“Please accept my apology for not going public with what I’ve been facing the last six years,” wrote Reubens in a statement posted to Instagram after his death. “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.”
“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,” wrote Reubens’ estate in the caption. “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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Reubens was born Paul Rubenfeld in Peekskill, New York in 1952. He grew up in Sarasota, Florida, where his parents owned a lamp store. Reubens joined the Los Angeles troupe The Groundlings in the 1970s, and started his career as an improvisational comedian and stage actor.
In 1982, Reubens began appearing in a show about a character he had been developing for years. The show was called The Pee-wee Herman Show, and ran for five sold-out months; HBO also produced a successful special about it.
The Pee-wee Herman character is a childlike man with a love of toys, bicycles, and his pet pig, Herman. He is known for his catchphrases, “I know, right?” and “Tequila!”
Reubens’s Pee-wee Herman character became a cultural phenomenon in the 1980s. He starred in the films Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (1985) and Pee-wee’s Playhouse (1986-1990), and appeared in several other films and television shows.
In 1991, Reubens was arrested for exposing himself in a porn theater. He pleaded no contest to the charges and was fined and sentenced to community service. However, his career was derailed for several years.
Reubens has since made a comeback, appearing in films such as Blow (2001), Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992), and Mystery Men (1999). He also starred in the Broadway musical Hairspray (2007).
Reubens and his Pee-wee Herman character are one of the most iconic in American pop culture. He was a true original, and his work continues to entertain and delight audiences of all ages.
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