After Pee-wee's Success, Paul Reubens Returned to the Closet

Pee-wee Herman is one of the most identifiable pop culture figures from the Reagan years and quickly became a gay icon. In his signature gray glen plaid suit and red bowtie, Reubens gave Pee-wee a child-like innocence marked with a vicious streak – he was the epitome of the bratty little kid. He introduced the character in the late 1970s when Reubens was a member of the LA comedy troupe The Groundlings and played him on three episodes of "The Dating Game" in 1979. After finessing the character further – removing any hint of sexuality from his demeanor – he played Pee-wee in a hit stage production in Los Angeles that was filmed by HBO in 1981. 

Appearances with David Letterman led to a national tour of his stage show and a film, "Pee-wee's Big Adventure," which marked Tim Burton's debut as a director. "Pee-wee's Playhouse," a Saturday morning kids program on CBS followed, winning some 15 Emmy Awards over its five year run. In 1988 Reubens starred in "Big Top Pee-wee,: a sequel to "Pee-wee's Big Adventure." Also in 1988, Pee-wee Herman (not Paul Reubens) was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

In 1991 Reubens was arrested in Sarasota, Florida, for masturbating publicly in an adult theater. His famous mugshot, in which he has long-hair and a goatee, led to him being compared to Charlie Manson. His already canceled CBS series was taken off the air and he lost numerous celebrity endorsements. Over the decade Reubens toyed with the idea of bringing Pee-wee back in a third film, but didn't return to portraying the character until 2007 after Adult Swim began airing "Pee-wee Playhouse." He starred in "Pee-wee Herman Stage Show: The Return," first in Los Angeles, then on Broadway. He went on to make a film for Netflix, "Pee-wee's Big Holiday" in 2016. It would be last time Reubens played the character.