Actor Paul Reubens is widely recognized for his various performances as television and film character Pee-wee Herman. It’s now been revealed that the 70-year-old actor has died.
As noted by Variety, Reubens is said to have “died Sunday night after a private bout of cancer.” This was also shared in a statement from Reubens’ Instagram account.
The following message was shared which had been written by Reubens and posted after his death:
“Please accept my apology for not going public with what I’ve been facing the last six years,” he wrote. “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.”
His estate shared a caption alongside the image which further detailed what Reubens was going through:
“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,” the caption begins. “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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Fans of Paul Reubens have expressed their disappointment with the news on social media. Reubens was a fan-favorite star for many, especially for his various appearances as Pee-wee Herman, which began as part of a stage production. The character proved so popular that, in 1985, Reubens worked with filmmaker Tim Burton in making Pee-wee’s Big Adventure. The film was such a success that a television series titled Pee-wee’s Playhouse ran from 1986 to 1990.
During its run, an additional film titled Big Top Pee-wee was released in 1988. It remained the final Pee-wee Herman movie until 2016 when Netflix released Pee-wee’s Big Holiday. He continued to develop projects featuring the character up until his death. Other film projects featuring Reubens include Batman Returns, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and the television series What We Do in the Shadows.