Paul Reubens
Acting • Born 1952-08-27 – Died 2023-07-30
Biography
Paul Reubens (August 27, 1952 – July 30, 2023) was an American actor, writer, film producer, game show host, and comedian, best known for his character Pee-wee Herman. Reubens joined the Los Angeles troupe The Groundlings in the 1970s and started his career as an improvisational comedian and stage actor. In 1982 he began appearing in a show about a character he had been developing for years. The show, called The Pee-wee Herman Show, ran for five sold-out months, and HBO produced a successful special about it. Pee-wee became an instant cult figure and, for the next decade, Reubens was completely committed to his character, doing all of his public appearances and interviews as Pee-wee. His feature film Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985), directed by the then-unknown Tim Burton, was a financial and critical success and soon developed into a cult film. Its sequel, Big Top Pee-wee (1988), was less successful. Between 1986 and 1990, Reubens starred as Pee-wee in the CBS Saturday-morning children's program Pee-wee's Playhouse.
Filmography
138 credits
The Blues Brothers
Movie • 1980
Waiter
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Movie • 1992
Amilyn
Flight of the Navigator
Movie • 1986
Max (voice)
Blow
Movie • 2001
Derek Foreal
Matilda
Movie • 1996
FBI Agent
Nice Dreams
Movie • 1981
Howie Hamburger Dude
The Pee-wee Herman Show
Movie • 1981
Pee-wee Herman
WWE WrestleMania XXVII
Movie • 2011
Pee-wee Herman (Appearance)
Pee-wee's Big Adventure
Movie • 1985
Pee-wee Herman
Big Top Pee-wee
Movie • 1988
Pee-wee Herman
The Brotherhood
Movie • 1968
Wedding Guest (uncredited)
South of Heaven, West of Hell
Movie • 2000
Arvid Henry
Pray TV
Movie • 1980
Jack Chudnowski
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Movie • 1993
Lock (voice)
Mystery Men
Movie • 1999
Spleen
Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas
Movie • 1997
Fife (voice)
Cheech & Chong's Next Movie
Movie • 1980
Pee Wee Herman / Desk Clerk (Groundling)
The Smurfs
Movie • 2011
Jokey Smurf (voice)
The Pee-wee Herman Show on Broadway
Movie • 2011
Pee-wee Herman
Buddy
Movie • 1997
Professor Spatz
Dunston Checks In
Movie • 1996
Buck LaFarge
Life During Wartime
Movie • 2010
Andy Kornbluth
Lily for President?
Movie • 1982
Pee Wee Herman
Pandemonium
Movie • 1982
Johnson
School, Girls, and You!
Movie • 1978
Wally Bile
Twilight Theatre
Movie • 1982
Pee Wee Herman
The Final Moments of Karl Brant
Movie • 2013
Bennett Ferryman
Tom and Jerry's Giant Adventure
Movie • 2013
Screwy Squirrel (voice)
O.W.C.A. Files
Movie • 2015
Parenthesis (voice)
Tales from the Warner Bros. Lot
Movie • 2013
Self
Dream on!
Movie • 1981
Gavin McInnes is a Fucking Asshole
Movie • 2010
Pee-Wee Herman (archive footage)
Quiz Lady
Movie • 2023
Francine's Crush
Moonwalker
Movie • 1988
Pee-wee Herman (voice) (uncredited)
Back to the Beach
Movie • 1987
Pee-Wee Herman
Scooby-Doo! Mecha Mutt Menace
Movie • 2013
Irv (voice)
The World According to Allee Willis
Movie • 2024
Self (archive footage)
Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special
Movie • 1988
Pee-wee Herman
Midnight Madness
Movie • 1980
Pinball City Proprietor
Accidental Love
Movie • 2015
Edwin
The Thrill Can Kill
Movie • 1987
Pee-Wee Herman
Steve Martin: Comedy Is Not Pretty
Movie • 1980
Cafe Counter Guy
Meatballs: Part II
Movie • 1984
Albert
Above and Beyond
Movie • 2015
Self
Teacher's Pet
Movie • 2004
Dennis (voice)
Robot Chicken: DC Comics Special
Movie • 2012
The Riddler (voice)
Robot Chicken DC Comics Special III: Magical Friendship
Movie • 2015
The Riddler (voice)
Robot Chicken DC Comics Special II: Villains in Paradise
Movie • 2014
The Riddler / Sunbather (voice)
LEGO DC Comics Super Heroes: Batman Be-Leaguered
Movie • 2014
Bat-Mite (voice)
Reno 911!: Miami
Movie • 2007
Sir Terrence
Crack: Cocaine, Corruption & Conspiracy
Movie • 2021
Self (archive footage)
Beauty Is Embarrassing
Movie • 2012
Self
Re-Animated
Movie • 2006
Golly Gopher (voice)
Twilight Park
Movie
Carny/Mime
Pinocchio
Movie • 1984
Pinocchio
The Smurfs 2
Movie • 2013
Jokey Smurf (voice)
Overnight
Movie • 2003
Self
Gigglefudge USA!
Movie • 2016
Self
Area 57
Movie • 2007
The Alien
Batman Returns
Movie • 1992
Penguin's Father
Rugrats: Babies in Toyland
Movie • 2002
Hermie the Elf (voice)
All Commercials... A Steve Martin Special
Movie • 1980
Self
Cheeseball Presents
Movie • 1984
The Tripper
Movie • 2006
Frank Baker
Likely Stories Vol. 2
Movie • 1983
Mayor of the Sunset Strip
Movie • 2003
Self
Doctor Dolittle
Movie • 1998
Raccoon (voice)
The Paragon of Comedy
Movie • 1983
Arnie / Pee-wee Herman
Pee-wee's Big Holiday
Movie • 2016
Pee-wee Herman
Sesame Street: Put Down the Duckie
Movie • 1988
Pee-wee Herman
The Crown with a Shadow
Movie • 2021
Oliver (voice)
The Groovenians
Movie • 2002
Jet/The Bubbie
All-Star Rock 'N' Wrestling Saturday Spectacular
Movie • 1985
Pee-Wee Herman
Sesame Street: Sing Yourself Silly!
Movie • 1990
Pee-Wee Herman (archive footage)
Cheeseball Presents
Movie • 1984
Pee-Wee Herman
A Comedy in Six Unnatural Acts
Movie • 1975
101 Most Shocking Moments in Entertainment
Movie • 2003
Self (archive footage)
DEVO
Movie • 2024
Pee-wee Herman (archive footage)
Dirt
TV • 2007
Chuck Lafoon
Best Week Ever
TV • 2004
Ally McBeal
TV • 1997
Louis
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
TV • 2003
Self - Guest
Everybody Loves Raymond
TV • 1996
Russell
227
TV • 1985
Pee-Wee Herman
Reno 911!
TV • 2003
Rick
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
TV • 1992
E! True Hollywood Story
TV • 1996
Self
Mork & Mindy
TV • 1978
Dickie Nimitz
Campus Ladies
TV • 2006
Faerie Tale Theatre
TV • 1982
Pinocchio
30 Rock
TV • 2006
Gerhardt
Pee-wee's Playhouse
TV • 1986
Pee-wee Herman
The Holiday Movies That Made Us
TV • 2020
Self (archive footage)
Pushing Daisies
TV • 2007
Oscar Vibenius
The Jay Leno Show
TV • 2009
Self
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
TV • 1993
Self - Guest
You Don't Know Jack
TV • 2001
Troy Stevens
Adventure Time
TV • 2010
Gnome Ruler/Dancing Bug (voice)
Working Stiffs
TV • 1979
Hopeless Pictures
TV • 2005
MTV Video Music Awards
TV • 1984
Pee-wee Herman
TRON: Uprising
TV • 2012
Pavel
Saturday Night Live
TV • 1975
Pee-Wee Herman - Host
Saturday Night Live
TV • 1975
Self - Cameo (uncredited)
Portlandia
TV • 2011
Weirdos' Lawyer
Comedy Bang! Bang!
TV • 2012
Pee-Wee Herman
Bob's Burgers
TV • 2011
Pat (voice)
American Dad!
TV • 2005
The Blacklist
TV • 2013
Mr. Vargas
Minecraft: Story Mode
TV • 2018
Ivor (voice)
Chowder
TV • 2007
Reuben (voice)
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
TV • 1962
Self
Murphy Brown
TV • 1988
Andrew J. Lansing III
Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero
TV • 2014
The Milkman (voice)
Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero
TV • 2014
The Butterman (voice)
Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!
TV • 2007
The Moon
Mosaic
TV • 2018
JC Schiffer
Tom Goes to the Mayor
TV • 2004
Paul (voice)
Gotham
TV • 2014
Elijah Van Dahl
Faerie Tale Theatre
TV • 1982
Guest Interviewee
The Groovenians
TV • 2002
Jet / The Bubble (voice)
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
TV • 2014
Self
Star Wars Rebels
TV • 2014
RX-24 (voice)
DC's Legends of Tomorrow
TV • 2016
Dybbuk (voice)
What We Do in the Shadows
TV • 2019
Paul
The Conners
TV • 2018
Sandy Bitensky
To Tell the Truth
TV • 2016
Self - Disguised Contestant
To Tell the Truth
TV • 2016
Self - Panelist
American Dad!
TV • 2005
Wyatt Borden (voice)
Madame's Place
TV • 1982
Pee Wee Herman
The Flintstone Comedy Show
TV • 1980
Freaky Frankenstone
Celebrity Wheel of Fortune
TV • 2021
Self - Contestant
The Frankenstones
TV • 1980
Freaky Frankenstone (voice)
Batman: The Brave and the Bold
TV • 2008
Bat-Mite (voice)
Conan
TV • 2010
Self
Pee-wee as Himself
TV • 2025
Self
Dolly
TV • 1987
Pee-wee Herman
Golden Globe Awards
TV • 1944
Pee-wee Herman - Presenter