Biography
Early development
Born in Peekskill, New York, on August 27, 1952, Paul Reubenfeld grew up in Sarasota, Florida, where his parents owned a lamp store. During winters, The Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus called Sarasota home, and young Paul counted such big-top families as the Wallendas and the Zacchinis among his neighbors. When he was 11-years-old, he joined the local Asolo Theater, and during the next six years, he appeared in a variety of plays. After graduating from Sarasota High School in 1970, he attended Boston University for one year before deciding to seek his fortune as Paul Reubens in Hollywood, where he enrolled as an acting major at the California Institute of the Arts and accepted a string of pay-the-rent jobs ranging from pizza chef to Fuller Brush salesman.
In the 1970s, Reubens performed at local comedy clubs and made four guest appearances on The Gong Show. He soon joined the L.A.-based improvisational comedy team The Groundlings and remained a member for six years, working with Bob McClurg, John Paragon, Susan Barnes, and Phil Hartman. Hartman and Reubens became friends, often writing and working on material together. Reubens wrote sketches and developed his improvisational skills. He also forged a significant friendship and working relationship with Hartman, with whom he developed the "Pee-wee Herman" character. Pee-wee was an eccentric man-child in a too-small grey suit, red bow tie, short buzz cut, and a perpetually giddy disposition. His distinctive "Ha Ha" laugh became the character's catch phrase.
The Pee-wee Herman Show
Reubens auditioned for Saturday Night Live prior to Eddie Murphy's first season, but wasn't accepted into the cast. Instead, he started a stage show with the Herman character. Originally, Reubens imbued "Pee-wee" with a sexuality that was later toned down as the character made the transition from raucous night club to children's television (though sexual innuendo was still readily apparent, especially with the "Cowboy Curtis" and "Miss Yvonne" segments; Curtis was played by actor Laurence Fishburne and Miss Yvonne was played by Lynne Marie Stewart). His stage show was immortalized by HBO when The Pee-wee Herman Show was aired in 1981.
In 1980, Reubens landed a small role in the film The Blues Brothers. He also appeared in Cheech and Chong's Next Movie in 1980 and Nice Dreams in 1981, and Meatballs Part II in 1984 with Misty Rowe.
Pee-wee's Big Adventure
While on a Warner Bros. set, Reubens noticed that most of the people rode around on bicycles, and asked when he would get his. Warner Bros. presented him with a refurbished 1940s Schwinn; Reubens then abandoned the Pee-wee Herman script he was writing in favor of one about Herman's love for his bike and his efforts to locate it once it's stolen. Hartman, Reubens, and Michael Varhol co-wrote the script for Pee-wee's Big Adventure and in 1985 the film, directed by Tim Burton, was released. Pee-wee was the originator of the Pee-wee dance in the movie.
Pee-wee's Playhouse era
The following year in 1986, Pee-wee (along with Hartman) found a home on the small screen with the Saturday morning children's program Pee-wee's Playhouse on the American CBS network for the next five years (Hartman, Shirley Stoler, Johann Carlo, Gilbert Lewis and Roland Rodriguez only appeared on the show for the first 13 episodes before the four characters were dropped from the show). In the case of Lewis, he was fired and a new actor, William Marshall, was hired to play the King of Cartoons. The show starred Pee-wee living in a wild and wacky house, known as the Playhouse, full of talking chairs, animals, robots, and other puppet and human characters. During the time Pee-wee's Playhouse aired it garnered 22 Emmy Awards.
In 1986, credited as '"Paul Mall'", Reubens provided the voice of the spacecraft robotic commander, Max in Disney's Flight of the Navigator.
In 1987, he provided the voice of REX, the bumbling pilot droid in the Disneyland attraction, Star Tours.
In 1987, he reprised the role of Pee-Wee Herman in a cameo appearance in the film Back to the Beach.
In 1988, Reubens reprised the role of Pee-wee Herman in a sequel to Pee-wee's Big Adventure, entitled Big Top Pee-wee.
In 1988, "Pee-wee" was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
In 1988, he starred in the special Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special
First arrest
On July 26, 1991, Reubens was arrested in Sarasota, Florida, for allegedly masturbating in an adult movie theater with friend Josh Johanns. The news media went into a frenzy and the scandal marked the near-death of the character "Pee-wee Herman" which reduced both the actor and the persona to a cruel punchline. Although the series Pee-wee's Playhouse had already ended by that time, CBS reacted by dropping its reruns from their lineup. Reubens made a deal with the Sarasota County court: in exchange for a fine and a few public service announcements, Reubens was given a clean record.
Reubens appeared as Pee-wee for the last time in the September 5, 1991, MTV Video Music Awards, where he was given a standing ovation. Pee-wee asked the audience, "Heard any good jokes lately?" His arrest was the target of a great deal of humor, and some controversy over the application of indecency laws to adult-oriented settings like pornographic theaters.
Post-arrest work
Reubens continues to appear in film and on television, with notable film roles in Batman Returns, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Dunston Checks In, Matilda , Mystery Men, and Blow, as well as TV guest appearances on Murphy Brown, Everybody Loves Raymond, and Ally McBeal. He also hosted a short-lived TV game show based on the popular computer game You Don't Know Jack.
Reubens has been a member of the Church of the SubGenius since 1981, though the Church has stated that he still owes them $10 in membership fees.[citation needed]
In 2001, Reubens announced plans for bringing Pee-wee Herman back for another film or two; as of 2006, he has not achieved this goal.
Second arrest
Reubens was arrested again in 2002 in connection with an investigation involving child pornography, which coincided with an unrelated child pornography case involving actor Jeffrey Jones. Public news stories concerning his case cast doubt upon the suggestion that Reubens intentionally acquired child pornography, as he stated that he was a collector of "erotic artwork" and that he had a sizable collection of vintage erotica with samples dating back to the 18th century. On March 22, 2004, child pornography charges against him were dropped after he pleaded guilty to a separate "misdemeanor obscenity charge."
Current activity
In a 2004 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Reubens said that he was working on a few television and movie ideas, and that Hollywood, he hopes, has not seen the last of Reubens or his alter-ego, Pee-wee. Reubens has also stated a strong possibility of a Pee-wee's Playhouse movie on a recent NPR interview with Terry Gross on December 27, 2004. A third Pee-wee movie was also suggested. Both, says Reubens, are actively being worked on, but no dates or official announcements have been made to date.
Reubens resides in the Hollywood Hills area of Los Angeles, California.
Reubens has recently reprised his role as Lock in the video game The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie's Revenge.
References
"Pee-wee TV star admits obscenity", BBC News. (March 19, 2004)
Bonin, Liane. "Paul Right Now", Entertainment Weekly interview. (April 11, 2001)
Phillips, Stone. "Pee-Wee Herman creator speaks out", Dateline NBC interview. (April 5, 2004)
Gross, Terry. "Actor Paul Reubens, 'Pee-Wee Herman'", NPR "Fresh Air from WHYY-FM" interview. (November 29, 2004)
