The Twisty History of Pee-wee Herman—Loner, Rebel, Icon
Paul Reubens' comic character may have started in underground comedy, but he's traveled quite a road over the past 35 years.
Glen Wilson/Netflix
Glen Wilson/NetflixThe Ups and Downs (and Ups) of a Comedy Persona
When *Pee-wee’s Big Holiday* debuts on Netflix tomorrow, it will not only mark the feature-length return of Paul Reubens' bowtie-wearing imp, it will also cement one of the most unlikely pop-culture comebacks of all time. Reubens retired Pee-wee in the early '90s—but in the two decades that followed, his series *Pee-wee's Playhouse* became a DVD (and Netflix) hit, while the 1985 film *Pee-wee's Big Adventure* grew into a hand-me-down classic among college kids, [rebel loners](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eTl05KHwFI), and [Alamo historians](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYfjq3ZYZbA) worldwide. With *Big* *Holiday*—produced by Judd Apatow, and co-written by Reubens and *Love* co-creator Paul Rust—Reubens gets the chance to introduce Pee-wee to a new audience, one whose members were barely born when *Playhouse* went off the air. For those who are new to Pee-wee, or for fans who said "[Au revoir!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRP42OS5mjo&t=1m29s)" after the '90s, here's an overview of the persona's nearly 40-year career:
Screengrab/HBOThe Underground Phenom (1978-1981)
Reubens was a member of Los Angeles’ famed Groundlings troupe when he introduced Pee-wee in 1978; the character quickly became a mainstay, and Reubens soon cobbled together $5,000 to put together a live stage show. Unfortunately, footage of those early shows—as well as of Pee-wee’s [1979 cameo on *The Dating Game*](http://mentalfloss.com/article/64916/5-things-we-learned-paul-reubens-bullseye-jesse-thorn)*—*are Mekka-lekka-hi, mekka-hiny-nowhere to be found. But as the 1981 HBO adaptation proves, the colorful set and kinetic goofiness that would become fixtures of *Pee-wee’s Playhouse* were already in place, as were supporting characters like Jambi the Genie and Clocky. “To me, there was a conceptual aspect to Pee-wee,” Reubens said a few years ago. “If you thought Pee-wee was a kid, fine. If you thought Pee-wee was a man trying to *be* a kid, great. If you thought Pee-wee was developmentally challenged, fine, whatever.”
ScreengrabThe Stand-Up (1982)
As seen in this *Evening at the Improv* special, Reubens’ stand-up set consisted of plenty of prop comedy, some candy-tossing, and the occasional awkward interaction (including this back-and-forth with *Improv* host and well-known comedy ace Morgan Fairchild). Despite an unsubtle double entendre here and there, the set feels a bit tepid compared to the more far-out gags he’d employ his later work, but the early-'80s *Improv* audience—enamored with Reubens’ manic style, and likely hopped up on fern fumes—goes cuckoo nonetheless.
ScreengrabThe Talk-Show Staple (Early- to Mid-’80s)
Reubens made several memorable appearances on *Late Night with David Letterman,* which proved to be the perfect showcase for his [schoolyard-gone-surreal joke-telling](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaKdt64frgQ), spazzy demeanor, and affectionate pop-culture spoofs (such as this 1983 bit, in which Pee-wee inserts himself into a '50s educational short). Letterman not only helped break Pee-wee to a broader audience, he also proved to be a perfect foil for the character, happily letting Reubens run wild in the studio for multiple segments at a time.
ScreengrabThe Movie Star (1985)
In the summer of 1985, there was little reason to believe that a relatively low-budget studio comedy starring a cult character—and directed by newcomer Tim Burton—would resonate with viewers who’d been flocking to *Rambo* just a few months earlier. But *Pee-wee’s Big Adventure* was the surprise hit of the year, an endlessly quotable modern fable that catapulted Pee-wee to global icon. It’s rare for a comedy to be this overstuffed without feeling overwhelming—and even rarer for a family movie to make room for so many decidedly grown-up moments and one-liners. If you haven’t seen it, go check it out ASAP—and tell ‘em [Large Marge](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-Pdlxd_rro) sent you.
ScreengrabThe Saturday Night Live Enlivener (1985)
Reubens tried out for *SNL* in 1980, but realized he wasn’t going to get the job after seeing fellow comic Gilbert Gottfried at the audition (“I said, ‘It’s not going to be both of us. We’re the same type of performer,’” Reubens remarked in 1996). Years later, following the success of *Pee-wee’s Big Adventure*, Reubens finally got his wish, appearing in a handful of sketches—including a spoof of [Philippe Petit’s World Trade Center wire-walk](https://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/cold-opening/n9376)—albeit during one of the show’s most memorably torpid seasons.
ScreengrabThe Saturday-Morning Sensation (1986-1990)
By the mid-'80s, weekend-morning children’s television was a landfill stuffed with toy tie-ins, movie spin-offs, and way too many Snorks. So when the psychotropic slumber-party that was *Pee-wee’s Playhouse* arrived, it was unlike anything else on the air—a show that spoke kids’ language, but didn’t talk down to them, and even gave grown-ups a reason to wake up early on Saturdays. The resulting series set off a [merchandise mini-bonanza](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9UWh-XBh9k), earned more than a dozen Daytime Emmy nominations, and made “Connect the dots/la, la, la!” a playground battle cry.
ScreengrabThe Big Flopper (1988)
Despite a bigger budget and a primo mid-summer release slot, *Big Top Pee-wee—*the ambitious, circus-set sequel to *Pee-wee’s Big Adventure*—became Pee-wee’s first big miss. Without Burton at the helm, Pee-wee’s oddball sweetness got lost in this tone-akimbo, weirdly dull romantic comedy that remains notable mostly for its [then-record-setting on-screen kiss](http://articles.latimes.com/1988-06-19/entertainment/ca-7772_1_pee-wee-herman).
ScreengrabThe Public Punchline (1991)
As even the most casual Pee-wee *aficionado* knows, [Reubens’ was arrested in a Florida theater for indecent exposure](http://www.nytimes.com/1991/11/08/us/pee-wee-herman-enters-a-plea-of-no-contest.html) in 1991. He’d eventually plead no contest—and a film [an anti-drug ad](https://www.youtube.com/embed/kHFnc_eV4Lg) as part of his deal—but by then, CBS had already refused to air the final four episodes of *Playhouse* (before his arrest, Reubens opted not to go ahead with a sixth season, effectively ending the show). Just a few months after the incident, Reubens served as a surprise guest at the MTV Video Music Awards, where he opened the show by asking, “Heard any good jokes lately?” It would be one of Pee-wee’s last public appearances for more than 15 years.
ScreengrabThe Comeback Kid (2010-present)
After a 1992 Pee-wee appearance at the Grand Ole Opry, Reubens retired the character, focusing on film roles in such movies as *Mystery Men* (1999) and *Blow* (2001). But even as he was pursuing those projects, he was plotting Pee-wee's return. In 2010, he mounted a revived version of *The Pee-wee Herman Show* in both Los Angeles and New York. The show brought back characters like Chairy and Globey, but more importantly, it prompted Hollywood to once again page Mr. Herman, ultimately resulting in *Pee-wee’s Big Holiday*. ["Tequila"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVKsd8z6scw)' for everyone!
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