Actor who played Pee-wee Herman dies. What was Paul Reubens’ cause of death?

The American actor Paul Reubens, better known as Pee-wee Herman, has died at the age of 70 from cancer he contracted six years ago. As well as that iconic role, he also participated in other classics including Matilda, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Batman Returns and Cocaine Bear, among others, left a few words ready on his Instagram account before he left us.

“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.” he wrote to accompany the the message that was published shortly after his death.

“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,” the announcement read.

“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.”

Pee-wee Herman: an iconic character

Playing the role of Herman, Reubens became one of the best-known faces in America. He first embarked on his career in the 1970s when he became a part of the comedy troupe, the Groundlings, in LA. In 1978, he introduced his endearing character, named after a harmonica brand of his childhood, to the world, which he hit the stage with in 1981 with a midnight show at the Groundlings Theatre. The character’s popularity grew, leading to performances at the Roxy Theatre in LA, where an HBO special was filmed.

Initially tailored for adult audiences, the whimsical and sharply-dressed Herman sold out shows for an impressive five months in LA. As time went on, though, Reubens decided to transform the act into a kid-friendly movie, broadening the character’s appeal to a whole new generation.

Arrested in 1991 when caught masturbating during the screening of a film in a movie theatre for adults, Pee-wee Herman had to be put aside, although he ended up recovering it in 2007.

In addition, Reubens participated in more than thirty films for cinema, including the two instalments of The Smurfs, Buffy: The Vampire Slayer and Accidental Love. In his later years, his presence grew enormously on social media, with him having more than 400,000 followers on Instagram.

RIP Pee-wee.