Paul Reubens, the actor best known for creating and portraying the character of Pee-wee Herman, has died at 70 years old after privately battling cancer for the past six years. His death was confirmed in a tribute posted to his Facebook page on July 31.
“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 tribute read.
If you’re a Pee-Wee fan or want to honor Paul Reubens after his unfortunate passing, here are 11 movies Paul Reubens has starred in and where to stream them.
The 2016 film starring and written by Paul Reubens follows the iconic Pee-Wee Herman. After meeting Joe Manganiello, Pee-Wee leaves his hometown to take the first holiday of his life and visit Joe in New York for his birthday party. Along the way, he of course gets caught up in wacky obstacles and shenanigans as he journeys across the country.
The comedic horror film (on which the classic TV show is based) follows Buffy Summers’ life as it is changed forever after meeting Merrick Jamison-Smythe. He’s been sent to train Buffy to fight vampires and proves himself by showing off his supernatural powers. While studying, she takes fellow student Oliver Pike under her wing, repeatedly saving him from vampires. But when a dangerous vampire and his minion (Paul Reubens) show up, Buffy must go to war once again. Come for the Buffy prequel, stay for Ruebens’ hilarious, end credits spanning death scene.
In Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, Pee-Wee refuses to sell his beloved red bicycle to his jealous neighbor Francis. However, while visiting good friend Dottie, the bike is stolen. He sets off on an adventure through restaurants, motorcycle gangs, and eventually a movie set, where his bike is being used as a prop.
Big Top Pee-Wee follows the childish man as he operates a farm full of talking animals and hot dog trees. After a tornado hits, a circus miraculously lands in his yard. Pee-Wee befriends the manager Mace Montana, develops a crush on a trapeze performer, and fights with neighbors to keep the new circus in town.
The 2011 rom-com centers around a small-town waitress named Alice, who gets a nail lodged in her head causing unpredictable behavior. She winds up in Washington D.C., where she meets and falls for a dashing, yet clueless senator who’s desperate to save her. Reubens plays the House Whip’s aide Edwin, who afflicts the “Squaw Girls” Girl Scouts with poison ivy.
The young and gifted Matilda Wormwood has a keen intellect and psychic powers. She puts both to good use, as she uses both to deal with her unsupportive, distant family and free her fellow students and kind teacher from their school’s evil headmistress. Here, Reubens makes a fun yet brief guest appearance as an FBI agent.
Life During Wartime follows sisters Joy, Trish, and Helen Jordan, who are all struggling in their own ways: Joy’s unhappy with her job and sleazy husband, while being haunted by her dead boyfriend’s ghost (Paul Reubens); Trish’s husband was sent to jail for pedophilia and she’s trying to move on. Helen becomes bitter as she approaches middle age with a failing screenwriting career. The 2009 film is packed with comedy and emotion.
Champion City’s acclaimed superhero Captain Amazing seems to have the city’s crime covered, but that doesn’t stop the Mystery Men, seven quirky amateur crime fighters — one being Spleen played by Reubens. As they attempt to prove themselves against villain Casanova Frankenstein, their superpowers of silverware hurling, bowling, shoveling, incompetent invisibility, and deadly flatulence don’t deem themselves as very helpful.
After a small car accident, Dr. John Dolittle’s childhood ability to talk with animals comes back, and Reubens had the pleasure of voicing Dolittle’s raccoon friend. The gift turns out to be a mixed blessing, as the doctor finds himself stuck using his special assistance on injured and depressed animals. When his wife Lisa notices his strange behaviors, she sends him to a mental institution. Luckily, he finds some animal friends to help me out of his sticky situation.
In the beloved Christmas movie The Nightmare Before Christmas, Reubens voices one of the three antagonists named Lock. The film follows pumpkin king Jack Skellington, as he stumbles upon Christmastown and plots to bring the holiday under his control by kidnapping Santa Claus and stealing his role. Jack quickly learns that even the most meticulous plans full of mice and skeletons can go wrong.
In the 1992 Batman film, the evil Penguin (who’s father, Tucker, is played by Reubens) partners with businessman Max Shreck to defeat the superhero once and for all. When Shreck’s shy assistant Selina Kyle finds out about their plans, she joins them as Catwoman. But while on her mission to destroy Batman, sparks fly unexpectedly between the two.