Paul Reubens, the actor known for playing the beloved fictional character Pee-wee Herman, died on Sunday night at 70. He had, he revealed posthumously, been privately battling cancer for several years.
A statement was posted to his Instagram on Monday morning to break the sad news. It included a quote from the performer, which read:
“Please accept my apology for not going public with what I’ve been facing the last six years. 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.”
So heartbreaking!
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His estate added more details in the caption, mourning:
“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. 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.”
The comedian has asked that “expressions of sympathy be made in honor of his late parents” via donations to Stand Up to Cancer or other organizations working to support those with Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Reubens developed his Pee-wee character as a stage show parodying children’s shows in the early ’80s. The runaway hit led to an HBO special, then of course the hit movie Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, which was in turn followed by an actual children’s show, Pee-wee’s Playhouse, which ran for five years and won an impressive 15 Emmy Awards. He brought the character back for two more movies, the most recent of which was in 2016.
R.I.P.
[Image via Nikki Nelson/WENN/Warner Bros/YouTube.]
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