Paul Reubens was an American actor and comedian fondly known for creating and portraying the character of Pee-wee Herman.

Reubens devised the character of Pee-wee with L.A. comedy troupe The Groundlings. After a failed SNL audition, Ruebens debuted a stage show The Pee-Wee Herman Show. Pee-wee became an instant cult figure. Reubens produced and wrote the feature film Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985), which Tim Burton directed. Reubens also starred in CBS' Saturday morning children's program Pee-wee's Playhouse, which garnered 15 Emmy Awards during its initial run, and was aired again on late-night television in the 2000s, during which TV Guide dubbed it among the top ten cult classic television programs.

Reubens acted in numerous shows including Murphy Brown, 30 Rock, Portlandia, and The Blacklist and revived The Pee-wee Herman Show, which he performed in Los Angeles and on Broadway in 2010. He co-wrote and starred in the Netflix original film Pee-wee's Big Holiday, reprising his role as Pee-wee Herman, in 2016.