Paul Reubens was best known for his comic creation Pee-wee Herman (Picture: Rex Shutterstock)
Tributes have been pouring in for actor Paul Reubens, best known for his eccentric manchild character Pee-wee Herman, following his death aged 70 from cancer.
Cher, Jimmy Kimmel and Conan O’Brien are among those who have paid their respects to the star on social media, with Cher saying: ‘Goodbye Paul. Goodnight sweet prince. May flights of angels sing thee to thy rest. Hamlet. William Shakespeare.’
The sad news was posted in a satement on Reubens’ official social media pages, saying that he had been diagnosed with cancer – but had not shared the information publicly.
‘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 statement said.
‘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.’
While Reubens was best known for Pee-wee Herman, he appeared in over 120 films and TV shows throughout his career.
If you want to see him in action as his most famous creation, here’s where you can watch the Pee-wee Herman movies.
Where to watch Paul Reubens as Pee-wee Herman
Reubens made three films as Pee-wee Herman – Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, which was released in 1985, the 1988 follow-up Big Top Pee-wee, and most recently, Pee-wee’s Big Holiday in 2016.]
The first two of these are available to rent via Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies and TV, or Apple TV+.
The actor appeared in over 120 movies and TV shows during his career (Picture: Rex Shutterstock)
It’s not available for free on any of these platforms, so you’ll have to pay a small rental fee or purchase the film.
Pee-wee’s Big Adventure is available for around £3.49 to rent on all platforms, while Big Top Pee-Wee is £2.49 to rent on Amazon Prime Video and Google Play, and £3.49 on Apple TV+.
Pee-wee’s Big Holiday, meanwhile, is available to stream on Netflix UK.
Meanwhile the character’s TV series Pee-wee’s Playhouse, which ran for five seasons in the US from 1986, is a little harder to track down.
However one episode – the season 3 Christmas special – is available to watch on Apple TV+.
What happens in the Pee-wee Herman movies?
Here’s what you can expect from each of the films…
Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (1985)
The first Pee-wee Herman film sees Reubens’ character take off on a road trip across the US after his beloved bike is stolen – encountering a string of quirky characters and unexpected situations along the way. The film was the directorial debut of Tim Burton.
Big-Top Pee-wee (1988)
The sequel to Pee-wee’s Big Adventure now finds the character with a farm and a fiancee – but when a tornado causes a circus to crash-land in his yard his life takes a very unexpected turn.
Pee-wee’s Big Holiday (2016)
The character made a comeback in 2016 in this Netflix movie, which sees Pee-wee head off on the first holiday of his life to New York – encountering the usual offbeat characters and bizarre situations en route.
What other films did Paul Reubens star in?
Paul Reubens’ other notable film appearances included Batman Returns, in which he played Tucker Cobblepot – the father of Oswald Cobblepot, aka the Penguin.
He also appeared in The Blues Brothers in 1980, the original version of Matilda in 1996, the 1992 film of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, 1999’s Mystery Men, 2001 crime drama Blow and the 1996 children’s comedy Dunston Checks In.
He also voiced characters in a string of movies, playing Lock, one of Oogie’s gang members, in The Nightmare Before Christmas, as well as Racoon in 1998’s Doctor Dolittle.
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He was best known for playing the eccentric manchild.