Back in the early '80s, an unknown improvisational comic and actor was struggling to gain a foothold in the entertainment industry. Little did he know that a failed SNL audition would wind up being a blessing in disguise. This rejection ended up leaving Paul Reubens free to pursue his own legacy. He went on to create his own character named Pee-Wee Herman, and by the end of the decade, Reuben and his character would gain worldwide fame and become an iconic part of millions of people's childhoods around the world.
After initially staging his own stage shows as Herman, Reubens landed an HBO special that launched the actor and the character to new heights. Reubens went on to tone down the adult humor and innuendo and converted his show into the now legendary and beloved children's show, Pee-Wee's Playhouse.
A huge hit, it burgeoned into a full-blown franchise with movies, specials, toys, and accessories. Reubens proved devoted to his character, and for a long time, constantly stayed in character, even when out in public. While arrests and other shocking controversies would blight his image, he never fully lost favor with his millions of fans and, ultimately, was proven innocent of the most serious allegations against him.
He remained active as an actor, starring in many other great films and TV shows, while the character and show's legacy continued through reruns, specials, and even a new film on Netflix as recently as 2016. While the world is still shocked by the news that Reubens has sadly passed away after a six-year battle with cancer that he never made public, tributes began pouring in around the world for his life and legacy. As we remember the comic genius and beloved star, here's a look back at Paul Reubens' best moments in Pee-Wee's Playhouse.
10 Kid's Humor
While it may have been easy to think of Pee-Wee Herman as just a children's character, this would vastly simplify how talented the actor behind him actually was. Reubens was actually considered a genius as a character actor, since he created the character himself, and, while his humor was initially a little racy, evolved Herman to become a child-friendly icon.
Pee-Wee's Playhouse became the crowning achievement of the character and Reuben's legacy. A beloved show that helped entire generations of kids learn lessons in reciprocity, that it was okay to be different, and tolerance for others, even in the children's version, Herman's humor was always witty and clever enough to find favor with adult audiences too, without being overly racy or provocative anymore.
9 Something for the Adults
Any parent will know that it's sometimes impossible to avoid having to sit through your kid's favorite shows with them. While for adults, this can often be a bore and feel like something that you wish you didn't have to do, Pee-Wee's Playhouse seemed attuned to this and Reubens designed it to be appealing to adults too.
One of the most memorable characteristics of the show was that it could often be just as funny for adults. The brilliance of the writing and Reubens' execution of its subtle adult jokes always meant adults had something to enjoy from it too. A great example and platform for these aspects were often present in the underlying romantic subplot between Pee-Wee Herman and Miss Yvonne.
8 The Characters
Anyone who watched Pee-Wee's Playhouse as a child, or even as an adult for that matter, couldn't help but become attached to its main characters. Of course with Pee-Wee Herman himself leading the troop, his interactions with the fan-favorites and regular characters from the show always enhanced his own likability. There were many who came and went, but all became icons of Saturday mornings around the world.
Who could ever forget Captain Carl's grumpiness, the funny banter between Pee-Wee and Cowboy Curtis, or puppet characters like Pterri? Of course, no one could forget Miss Yvonne, Pee-Wee's beauty-obsessed lady friend with whom he often had his cutest scenes. A large part of the show's and Reubens' success with it was how Pee-Wee was supported by the actors and characters around him, turning the show into a lovable ensemble, rather than a one-man act.
7 The Music
Primarily being a children's show, Pee-Wee's Playhouse also featured some highly talented musicians. This eclectic but brilliant group of contributors were all highly-rated and provided amazing, memorable soundtracks for the show. The most famous among these is invariably Cyndi Lauper imitating Betti Boop for the show's catchy and iconic theme song.
Back then, she was credited as "Ellen Shaw," but her voice and talent were still unmistakable. Other musical contributors included the likes of Mark Mothersbaugh and Danny Elfman, who also performed many memorable songs for the show. For Pee-Wee's part, he always made musical moments more fun and engaging with his hysterical antics and mannerisms that you couldn't help but love.
6 The Brilliant Actors
Given how much time has passed since Pee-Wee's Playhouse was at its peak fame, it may be difficult to understand just how popular it once was. Even for its time, the show managed to attract some fantastic performers, even if many of them weren't nearly as famous then as they are now.
The show featured the likes of Laurence Fishburne, S. Epatha Merkerson, Rob Zombie, and even John Singleton, who would go on to become a legendary filmmaker in his own right. Aside from these, season three's all-star Christmas Special featured stars like Joan Rivers, Whoopi Goldberg, Cher, Oprah, and Little Richard. The brilliance of Reubens as Pee-Wee Herman though was that, even among such fine company, he always remained the main attraction.
5 The Lessons
As a children's show, all the fun, games, and entertainment from Pee-Wee's Playhouse wouldn't have counted for much if it didn't also have something wholesome for its main demographic. On this aspect, Pee-Wee on the Playhouse was the kind of character you could trust your kids to watch alone if you were too busy to join in.
Amid all the hilarity that kids loved so much, every episode also featured Herman imbuing them with wonderfully devised lessons for children. Whether it was teaching them how to be kind, tolerant, to help others, or simply to be a better human being, his influence on raising well-mannered and good-hearted kids everywhere can never be gainsaid. The fact that he managed to still make the show enjoyable and engaging was just another testament to the brilliance of the show and Reubens.
4 Pee-Wee and Miss Yvonne
As alluded to earlier, the interactions between Pee-Wee Herman and Miss Yvonne often provided some fun and humor for adult audiences to secretly enjoy. While these scenes never crossed any real boundaries that made them less kid-friendly, their subtlety often made for some hilarious subplots for older audiences.
Miss Yvonne was the beauty and fashion-obsessed character who often showed up in outlandish outfits. Portrayed by Lynne Marie Stewart from the original stage shows, she often played well off Herman, as he did off her. Some of Herman's most memorable moments from the show came from the potential love interest he had in Miss Yvonne and how they interacted together because of it.
3 Laugh and Mannerisms
On the surface, playing a child-friendly character can seem like scraping the bottom of the barrel for an actor. After all, these kinds of roles often require overacting, dramatic, and childish mannerisms, and the kind of persona that's not often likely to bring an actor great acclaim. However, Paul Reubens wasn't just an average children's show actor or someone just in it for the paycheck.
The fact that the character was originally conceived as one with adult humor in mind too meant Pee-Wee Herman was always a layered character that thrived on Reubens' nuanced abilities. Even when the adult humor was toned down, Reubens never seemed to simply play the character but inhabited him in a way that can't be taught in an acting class. Everything from his iconic laugh, and voice, to his mannerisms, his gait, his facial expressions, and differing voice tones were always portrayed to perfection by Reubens — one of the reasons why the character remains legendary to this day.
2 Dedication to the Character
Paul Reubens was a brilliant actor, stage performer, and improvisational comic. Aside from Pee-Wee's Playhouse, he was also well known for appearing in many great films and TV shows. For instance, his early collaboration with a young Tim Burton who directed the first Pee-Wee Herman film, which was a huge hit, later led to him playing roles like The Penguin's father in the iconic Michael Keaton-led Batman Returns. Reubens' chameleonic talents meant he could play a wide variety of roles and thrived as a character actor.
However, amid all his other great work, he was always remembered most for Pee-Wee Herman and Pee-Wee's Playhouse. This was perfectly fine, since, rather than being annoyed at being typecast, Reubens embraced and loved the character in a palpable way.
Here's a taste of what The New York Times had to say about him and the show in their review of it when it first released back in 1986.
"He's sweetly looney and unpredictable, gentle yet always tip-toeing on the edge of devastating absurdity. He is a one-man force battling the plague of boredom that has settled on Saturday-morning programming for children."
For a long time, Reubens was known for making all his public appearances, everywhere from talk shows to Wrestlemania, while still in character. His devotion to what the character meant to children around the world also led Reubens to adhere to rules like refusing to be photographed with a cigarette in his mouth, or even with sugary drinks.
1 The Legacy
Pee-Wee's Playhouse will forever occupy a special place in the hearts and minds of entire generations of people around the world. For so many, the show, Paul Reubens, and his iconic character, represented some of the happiest moments of their childhood. The legacy of it all remains so strong that simply seeing a picture or hearing a soundbite from the show is often enough to induce a ton of nostalgia among fans for years gone by.
Despite all Paul Reubens' legal problems and troubling accusations off-screen, his co-stars, friends, and fans were always quick to show him support. The longevity of the show and the legacy it left was also a testament to what a beloved entertainer he was, and just how revered the show was. This fact was also backed up by the fact that it won multiple Emmy Awards during its time.
The world may have lost an icon in Paul Reubens, but his time as Pee-Wee Herman ensures that his legacy will always live on.