Paul Reubens

**Paul Reubens** (born **Paul Rubenfeld**; August 27, 1952 – July 30, 2023) was a Jewish American actor, writer, movie producer, game show host, and comedian, best known for portraying Pee-wee Herman. He was of Jewish descent. He appeared in many movies and television series in the late 1970s and early 1980s and worked with a group called "The Groundlings". Around this time, Reubens created Pee-Wee for a stage show, which was a parody of old kids programs. In 1985, he starred in a movie called _Pee-wee's Big Adventure_, which was very successful. The next year, he got his own television program, _Pee-wee's Playhouse_. It was very popular.

## Early life

He was born in Peekskill, New York and grew up in Sarasota, Florida.

## Personal life

In 1991, Reubens was arrested for masturbating in an adult movie theatre. This ended the Pee-Wee craze.

In 2010, he had the main role in a play on Broadway, in _The Pee-wee Herman Show_. In 2016, Reubens co-wrote and had the main role in the Netflix original film _Pee-wee's Big Holiday_, in the role as Pee-wee Herman.

### Death

Reubens died from cancer at age 70 on July 30, 2023 at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. The cause of death was respiratory failure caused by acute myeloid leukemia and lung cancer. His remains were cremated and are buried at Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

### Movies

|Year|Title|Role|Notes|
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
|1980|_Pray TV_|Jack Chudnowski||
|1980|_Midnight Madness_|Pinball City Proprietor||
|1980|_The Blues Brothers_|Chez Paul waiter||
|1980|_Cheech & Chong's Next Movie_|Pee-wee Herman/Desk Clerk||
|1981|_Nice Dreams_|Howie Hamburger Dude||
|1981|_Dream On!_|||
|1982|_Pandemonium_|Johnson||
|1984|_Meatballs Part II_|Albert/Hara Krishna||
|1985|_Pee-wee's Big Adventure_|Pee-wee Herman|Also writer|
|1986|_Flight of the Navigator_|Trimaxion/Max|Voice - Credited as Paul Mall|
|1987|_Back to the Beach_|Pee-wee Herman||
|1988|_Big Top Pee-wee_|Pee-wee Herman|Also writer and producer Nominated - Kid's Choice Award for Favorite Movie Actor|
|1992|_Batman Returns_|Penguin's Father||
|1992|_Buffy the Vampire Slayer_|Amilyn||
|1993|_The Nightmare Before Christmas_|Lock|Voice|
|1996|_Dunston Checks In_|Buck LaFarge||
|1996|_Matilda_|FBI Agent Bob||
|1997|_Buddy_|Professor Spatz||
|1997|_Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas_|Fife|Voice Direct-to-video|
|1998|_Dr. Dolittle_|Raccoon|Voice|
|1999|_Mystery Men_|The Spleen||
|2000|_South of Heaven, West of Hell_|Arvid Henry||
|2001|_Blow_|Derek Foreal||
|2004|_Teacher's Pet_|Dennis|Voice|
|2006|_The Tripper_|Frank Baker||
|2007|_Reno 911!: Miami_|Sir Terrence Benedino||
|2009|_Life During Wartime_|Andy||
|2011|_The Smurfs_|Jokey Smurf|Voice|
|2013|_The Smurfs 2_|Jokey Smurf|Voice|
|2013|_Tom and Jerry's Giant Adventure_|Screwy Squirrel|Voice Direct-to-video|

### Television

|Year|Title|Role|Notes|
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
|1978|_Things We Did Last Summer_|Paul Oberon|TV Movie|
|1979|_Working Stiffs_|Heimlich|3 episodes|
|1980|_The Flintstone Comedy Hour_|Freaky Frankenstone|Voice Episode: "RV Fever/Birthday Boy/Clownfoot/Fred Goes Ape/Flying Mouse/Ghost-sitters"|
|1980|_Steve Martin: Comedy Is Not Pretty_|Unnamed Terrorist|Reubens played an unnamed terrorist that shoplifted nuclear weapons fuel from a convenience store in a skit in this Steve Martin comedy special.|
|1980|_Steve Martin: All Commercials_|Multiple Roles|Reubens played multiple roles in multiple skits in this Steve Martin comedy special.|
|1981|_Mork & Mindy_|Dickie Nimitz|Episode: "Long Before We Met"|
|1981|_The Pee-wee Herman Show_|Pee-wee Herman|TV Movie|
|1982|_Madame's Place_|Pee-Wee Herman|Episode: "Episode #1.34"|
|1984|_Faerie Tale Theatre_|Pinocchio|Episode: "Pinocchio"|
|1985|_Saturday Night Live_|Pee-wee Herman|Host Episode: "Pee-wee Herman/Queen Ida & The Bon Temps Zydeco Band"|
|1986–1990|_Pee-wee's Playhouse_|Pee-wee Herman|Creator, writer, director of 3 episodes Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction/Set Direction/Scenic Design <small>(1988)</small> Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Graphics and Title Design <small>(1991)</small> Nominated - Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in Children's Programming <small>(1987, 1988, 1990, 1991)</small> Nominated - Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Series <small>(1987, 1990, 1991)</small> Nominated - Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing in Children's Programming <small>(1988, 1990, 1991)</small> Nominated - Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction/Set Decoration/Scenic Design <small>(1989, 1990, 1991)</small> Nominated - Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing in a Children's Series <small>(1987, 1988)</small>|
|1988|_Sesame Street_|Pee-wee Herman|Episode:"Put Down the Duckie"|
|1995–1997|_Murphy Brown_|Andrew J. Lansing III|6 episodes Nominated - Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series <small>(1995)</small>|
|2000|_Everyone Loves Raymond_|Russell|Episode: "Hackidu"|
|2001|_Ally McBeal_|Louis|Episode: "Cloudy Skies, Chance of Parade"|
|2002|_Rugrats_|Hermie the Elf|Voice Episode: "Babies in Toyland"|
|2005|_Tripping the Rift_|God Devil|Voice Episode: "Chode's Near Death-Experience"|
|2006|_Campus Ladies_|Drama instructor|Episode: "Drama Class"|
|2006|_Reno 911!_|Rick|Episode: "Rick's On It"|
|2006|_Tom Goes to the Mayor_|Paul|Voice Episode: "Puddins"|
|2006|_Re-Animated_|Golly Gopher|Voice TV Movie|
|2007|_Area 57_|Alien|Unaired pilot|
|2007|_30 Rock_|Gerhardt Hapsburg|Episode: "Black Tie"|
|2007|_Dirt_|Chuck Lafoon|3 episodes|
|2007|_Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!_|The Moon|Episode: "Cats"|
|2007-2009|_Chowder_|Reuben|Voice 3 episodes|
|2007|_Pushing Daisies_|Oscar Vibenius|2 episodes|
|2009-2011|_Batman: The Brave and the Bold_|Bat-Mite|Voice 4 episodes|
|2010|_Adventure Time_|Gnome Ruler|Voice Episode: "Power Animal"|
|2011|_The Pee-wee Herman Show_|Pee-wee Herman|TV Movie Nominated - Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special|
|2012–2013|_Tron: Uprising_|Pavel|Voice 17 episodes|
|2012|_Robot Chicken DC Comics Special_|The Riddler|Voice TV Movie|
|2013|_Comedy Bang! Bang!_|Pee-wee Herman|Episode: "Pee Wee Herman Wears a Halloween Costume"|

### Video games

|Year|Title|Role|
| --- | --- | --- |
|2004|_The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie's Revenge_|Lock|
|2010|_Batman: The Brave and the Bold – The Videogame_|Bat-Mite|

## Other websites

- Official website

## Infobox (person)

- **name**: Paul Reubens
- **image**: Paul Reubens SXSW 2016.jpg
- **birth name**: Paul Rubenfeld
- **birth place**: Peekskill, New York, United States, U.S.
- **death place**: Los Angeles, California, U.S.
- **death cause**: Respiratory failure caused by acute myeloid leukemia and lung cancer
- **resting place**: Hollywood Forever Cemetery
- **education**: Boston University
California Institute of the Arts (Bachelor of Fine Arts, BFA)
- **years active**: 1977–2023
- **father**: Milton Rubenfeld
- **relatives**: Abby Rubenfeld (sister)