Paul Reubens

Paul Reubens was an American actor and comedian who trained with the Los Angeles-based improv troupe the Groundlings in the 1970s, where he developed his signature character Pee-wee Herman through improvisational performance. He debuted The Pee-wee Herman Show as a stage production in 1981, and the character's success led to the 1985 Tim Burton-directed film Pee-wee's Big Adventure and the CBS children's series Pee-wee's Playhouse, which ran from 1986 to 1990 and won 15 Emmy Awards. Reubens revived the character in a 2010 Broadway production and the 2016 Netflix film Pee-wee's Big Holiday, while also taking on non-Pee-wee roles in film and television throughout his career.