Paul Reubens, Best Known as Pee-wee Herman, Dead at 70 After Years with Cancer: 'A Treasured Friend' (original) (raw)

Paul Reubens, best known for playing Pee-wee Herman, has died at age 70.

Reubens' rep confirmed his death in a statement to PEOPLE on Monday, revealing that the actor had cancer for years before he died.

"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," read the statement.

"Paul bravely and privately fought cancer for years with his trademark tenacity and wit," it continued. "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 news was also confirmed on Reubens' official Instagram page.

Reubens created his iconic Pee-wee Herman character when he was a member of the famed Los Angeles improv troupe The Groundlings, which was also an early home to stars including Kristin Wiig, Lisa Kudrow, Maya Rudolph and Kathy Griffin. The Pee-wee Herman Show premiered at The Groundlings Theatre in 1981 and later moved to The Roxy on Sunset Strip before it landed an HBO broadcast, ultimately introducing the beloved character to a national audience.

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Amid Reubens’ continued success with the character, he brought Pee-wee Herman to the big screen in 1985’s Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, directed by Tim Burton. He later created Pee-wee’s Playhouse for CBS, which ran for five seasons from 1986 to 1990.

“If anyone would have told me I’d be doing this 30 years later, I would have laughed,” he told Collider in 2015. “But now, I plan on doing it 30 years from now, when I’m 140.”

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Outside of his work as Pee-wee Herman, he played several other prominent roles, including the original film version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer in 1992 as well as TV appearances on 30 Rock, The Blacklist, Gotham and What We Do in the Shadows.

Reuben was not without his controversies. He was arrested in 1991 in Sarasota, Florida, for indecent exposure. He had specifically been caught masturbating while watching a film at an adult movie theater, but he pleaded no contest to the crime and avoided receiving a charge on his record. He was still required to complete 75 hours of community service.

Nearly a decade later, Reubens was arrested again in 2002 after child pornography material was found within his home (he said the images were part of a vintage erotica collection). He turned himself in to the Los Angeles Police Department and was charged with a misdemeanor for the possession. The charges were dropped in 2004 after he pleaded guilty to a lesser misdemeanor obscenity charge.

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A rep for Reubens, who received a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame in 1988, confirmed that he had penned the first draft of a memoir prior to his death. He had also put the finishing touches on two more Pee-wee movie scripts and was developing projects for television, including a variety show and a western called Fancypants.