His death in Los Angeles was announced on his official Facebook page.

“Last night we said farewell to Paul Reubens, 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,” a statement 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.”

Reubens created Pee-wee (named for a brand of harmonica he had when he was a kid) while with the Los Angeles comedy troupe The Groundlings in 1978, then took the character to the stage after failing to land spot on Saturday Night Live in 1980. His performance was captured for an HBO special in 1981.

Reubens showed up in the Cheech & Chong films Next Movie (1980) and Nice Dreams (1981) and made the first of his many bizarre appearances on Late Night With David Letterman — always in character and keeping his real identity a secret — in 1982.

He starred as the bow tie-wearing Pee-wee during a 22-city tour of the U.S., including a stop at Carnegie Hall in 1984, and then in Warner Bros’ Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (1985), directed by Tim Burton, followed by the sequel, Randal Kleiser’s Big Top Pee-wee (1988).

Reubens really came into his own on CBS Saturday morning children’s program Pee-wee’s Playhouse, with 45 episodes running for five seasons from 1986-91. The eye-popping, candy-colored series won 22 Emmy Awards, while he collected a couple.

Pee-wee, existing in fantastical playhouse filled with toys, gadgets and talking furniture, was accompanied by such characters as Captain Carl (Phil Hartman), Cowboy Curtis (Laurence Fishburne), Miss Yvonne (Lynne Marie Stewart), Reba the Mail Lady (S. Epatha Merkerson), Jambi the Genie (John Paragon), Pterri the Pterodactyl, Clocky and Magic Screen. Cyndi Lauper sang the opening theme song.

“People have argued I’ve done everything consciously or unconsciously to destroy [the character],” he said in 2020. “But it’s the brand that won’t die. It’s still around.”

He was born Paul Rubenfeld in Peekskill, New York, on Aug. 27, 1952, and raised in Sarasota, where his parents, Judy and Milton, owned a lamp store. His mother also was a teacher, and his dad was an automobile salesperson who was a pilot during World War II for British, American and Israeli forces.

while in sixth grade, Reubens acted for the first time, portraying Nick Burns in A Thousand Clowns at The Players Theatre. At Sarasota High School, he was president of the Drama Club.

After graduation, Reubens enrolled in Boston University’s theater department and a year later moved to Los Angeles to attend the acting program at California Institute of the Arts — where his classmates included David Hasselhoff and Katey Sagal — soon to join The Groundlings.

“Me and Phil Hartman and John Paragon, who was Jambi the Genie, we were the three male ‘stars’ at The Groundlings,” he recalled. “We would sit in my car in the parking lot and fantasize and talk about what it would be like to be working actors.”

For Pee-wee, Reubens was inspired by Howdy Doody, Captain Kangaroo and Rocky and Bullwinkle in particular. After being loaned a gray suit from Groundlings founder Gary Austin and finding a bow tie in a pile backstage — it dawned on him that he could actually become Pee-wee Herman,” he said.

Inspired by Sylvester Stallone and his experience on Rocky, Reubens demanded creative control on Pee-wee’s Big Adventure and insisted Burton direct it. Made for $7 million, it grossed almost six times that.

On July 26, 1991, while visiting his parents, Reubens was arrested in the lobby of the XXX South Trail Cinema for indecent exposure during the theater’s triple bill of Catalina Five-O Tiger Shark, Nurse Nancy and Turn Up the Heat.

“When people go, like, ‘Was your career over in ’90, ’91?’ I never viewed it like that,” he told Abramovitch. “I make the rules of when I’m coming back and when I’m not coming back, and what I do next.”

In 2010, Reubens produced, co-wrote and starred in an updated revival of The Pee-wee Herman Show in Los Angeles and then on Broadway at the The Stephen Sondheim Theater. He and Judd Apatow produced a third Pee-wee film, Pee-wee’s Big Holiday (2015).

Survivors include his sister, Abby, and her wife, Helia; brother Luke; and nieces Lily and Sarah.