Paul Reubens, Pee-Wee Herman actor, dead at 70
(NBC, KYMA/KECY) - Paul Reubens, a veteran actor who is best known as the character Pee-Wee Herman, has died, according to his team.
A statement posted on Instagram said the actor "bravely and privately fought cancer for years with his trademark tenacity and wit." The statement also included a message from the actor which said, "Please accept my apology for not going public with what I've been facing the last six years."
Reubens was synonymous with Pee-Wee Herman, a character known for his red bow tie and catchphrases. His big break came in the 1985 movie "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure," which became a cult favorite. The film led to a CBS Saturday Morning show called "Pee-Wee's Playhouse," which was popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
His success came to a halt, however, in 1991 when he was arrested for indecent exposure in an adult movie theater. 13 years later, he also entered a guilty plea to an obscenity charge.
Despite the negative headlines, Reubens kept working as an actor frequently taking guest starring roles on network TV series.
Reubens was 70 years old.
