Paul Reubens, the actor who portrayed Pee-wee Herman and let the world know that the Alamo has no basement has died at age 70 following a battle with cancer, according to message shared on Instagram.
“Please accept my apology for not going public with what I’ve been facing the last six years,” Reubens wrote in a statement shared Monday following his death. “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.”
Reubens was best known for portraying the man-child character Pee-wee Herman on the surreal kids’ show Pee-wee’s Playhouse and in the Tim Burton-directed 1985 cult film Pee-wee’s Big Adventure. He cultivated the role by performing it in comedy clubs.
Big Adventure included Pee-wee’s short but memorable trip to the Alamo as he searches for his stolen bicycle. During the scene, he flees the historic mission, thoroughly embarrassed, after asking a tour guide to see the basement and learning that there is none.
While San Antonio received all of 20 seconds in the film, many locals of a certain age proudly still latched onto movie, and it remains a local favorite. Big Adventure has received multiple special Alamo City screenings over the years.
Reubens also told the Current in 2016 that he had fond memories of the one day the crew spent shooting in the Alamo City.
“I remember how beautiful the city and the River Walk were,” he said. “My father had been stationed [in San Antonio] in the Air Force. He told me about it.”
He continued: “The film commission met us. We were nobody. [Big Adventure director] Tim Burton was 26 years old. Nobody knew who any of us were. Pee-wee Herman wasn’t known. The director wasn’t known. The producers weren’t known. [But] they treated us like we were special.”
He also recalled that commission officials took the crew to a Tex-Mex restaurant, which resulted in stomach distress since none of the members was used to spicy food.
“I don’t think we even had a [film] permit, to be honest with you,” he added.
Reubens was scheduled to appear at San Antonio Comic-Con in 2018 but backed out after issuing an apology. The COVID-19 pandemic also forced Reubens to cancel a 2020 tour celebrating Big Adventure that was expected to stop in San Antonio.
In 2021, actor Mark Holton, who portrayed Pee-wee’s nemesis Francis, appeared at San Antonio’s 2021 Burton Ball, an annual gathering that celebrates the director’s many cult movies.
Subscribe to SA Current newsletters.
Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter| Or sign up for our RSS Feed
Related Stories
Los Otros completes ‘Puro San Antonio’ piece in Medical Center pizza shop
Actor Mark Holton (Francis!) shares how Pee-wee’s Big Adventure star said goodbye
Pee-wee’s bike will go on display at San Antonio’s Alamo starting early August
This article appears in Jul 26 – Aug 8, 2023.
