When it was announced that Paul Reubens passed away today, there was no escaping the fact that there would be no shortage of Pee-Wee Herman in our newsfeed. After all, this was the character that Rubens was most famous for, and the one that played a major role in so many childhoods. It was impossible to escape the phenomenon of the character in the 1980’s. He was everywhere.
But like so many other performers who get identified for one thing, there was more to Rubens than just Pee-Wee Herman. In fact, for 15 years, he never appeared once as the character, following Pee-Wee’s Playhouse going off the air and Rubens facing his own public battles behind-the-scenes. This allowed him to showcase what he was capable of outside the character we all know and love.
Below, we’re taking a look back at the various performances Rubens did over the years that proved just how versatile he was as a performer.
The Blues Brothers
Long before the public knew who Rubens was, his first on-camera role was brief. He played a waiter in The Blues Brothers. He doesn’t have much to do, but as the years went on, fans were quick to recognize his unmistakable face and somewhat-nasally voice.
