Sunday, August 27, 2023

A Birthday Tribute to Paul Reubens!

It is the birthday of Paul Reubens! Pee Wee Herman appeared on film in the comedy film, Cheech & Chong's Next Movie (1980). In 1981, Reubens was in the HBO movie, The Pee Wee Herman Show. Pee Wee Herman's Big Adventure (1985) launched the career of Tim Burton as a director. It was also co-written by Reubens. He created, wrote, and directed Pee Wee Herman's Playhouse (1986-1991), the best kid show since Sesame Street. He even appeared as Pee Wee in three episodes of that show. It ran for five seasons with one Christmas special and won six Emmy Awards. Reubens voiced the sentient ship Max in Flight of the Navigator (1986). In 1987, after voicing Max, Reubens voiced RX-24 for Star Tours! Really the best part of the ride, every trip was fun with RX. 

Pee Wee Herman’s Schwinn DX cruiser, Hollywood Museum, photo by the author. 

A sequel to his iconic movie, Big Top Pee Wee hit theaters in 1988. It was also co-written by Reubens. He was given a star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame that year as Pee-Wee Herman. He played the father of Penguin in Batman Returns (1992). Reubens had a great part as Amilyn in Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992). Then, again became iconic voicing Lock, part of the trio, Lock, Shock, and Barrel in the animated classic, Nightmare Before Christmas (1993). Reubens played the superhero Spleen in the superhero comedy, Mystery Men (1999). In 2011, Reubens brought Pee Wee to the stage with Pee Wee Herman's Show on BroadwayHe reprised the part in the Star Wars: Rebels episode, "Droids in Distress" (2014). Reubens returned one last time as Pee Wee in the Netflix comedy, Pee-wee's Big Holiday (2016). 

Pee Wee Herman’s Star, 6562 Hollywood Blvd., author’s photo.

Paul Reubens appeared as Lock in the production, Nightmare Before Christmas in Concertat the Hollywood Bowl (2018). Jokey Smurf was voiced by Reubens in the live action/animated Smurfs (2011) and Smurfs 2 (2013). He voiced Bat-Mite in the Batman: The Brave and the Bold cartoon show. Reubens also voiced the villainous Pavel in Tron Uprising. The father of the Penguin, Elijah Van Dahl, was played by Reubens in the Gotham series. Paul Reubens was in a single episode of What We Do In The Shadows in "The Trial" (2019). Also that year, Reubens returned to voice DJ-R3X at Oga's Cantina in Galaxy's Edge He voiced the sinister Dybbuk in several episodes of DC's Legends of Tomorrow. He voiced Pontius Pig in the Tom and Jerry Show episode, "Sock it to me" (2021). A final role for Reubens was voicing Oliver in the animated short, The Crown with a Shadow (2021). Memorable, iconic roles for a comedian and creative person. Happy Birthday Paul Reubens! 

#PaulReubens, #PeeWeeHermansBigAdventure, #PeeWeesPlayhouse, #FlightOfTheNavigator, #StarTours, #StarWarsRebels, #GalaxysEdge, #BatmanReturns, #BuffytheVampireSlayer, #NightmareBeforeChristmas, #MysteryMen, #Smurfs, #TronUprising, #Gotham, #WhatWeDoInTheShadows, #LegendsOfTomorrow, #TomAndJerryShow, #TheCrownWithAShadow 

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