Reubens’ TV series, Pee-Wee’s Playhouse, ran for five seasons, earned 22 Emmy awards and attracted not only children but adults to Saturday-morning television.
Paul Reubens, the actor and comedian whose character Pee-Wee Herman became a cultural phenomenon through films and TV shows, has died.
Reubens died on Sunday night after a six-year struggle with cancer that he did not make public, his publicist said in a statement.
“Please accept my apology for not going public with what I’ve been facing the last six years,” Reubens said in a statement released with the announcement of 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.”
The character with his too-tight grey suit, white chunky loafers and red bow tie was best known for the film Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure and the television series Pee-Wee’s Playhouse .
Herman created Pee-Wee when he was part of the Los Angeles improvisation group The Groundlings in the late 1970s.
