Actor Paul Reubens, best known for his character Pee-wee Herman, has died aged 70.
Confirming the sad news, a tribute was posted on his official social media pages.
A posthumous statement from the performer revealed that he had been diagnosed with , which he chose not to share publicly.
It read: ‘Please accept my apology for not going public with what I’ve been facing the last six years.
‘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.’
‘Last night we said farewell to Paul Reubens, an 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,’ the statement continued.
‘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 began his career in the 1970s after joining the Los Angeles live comedy troupe the Groundlings.
After a stint as an improvisational comedian and stage actor, in 1980, he launched The Pee-wee Herman Show.
He had spent years developing the stage production based on the much-loved fictional character.
Pee-wee soon became an iconic comic figure, leading to Reubens’ show selling out for five months solid.
He also landed an HBO TV special and performed as the character in many on-screen interviews.
Prior to his death, Reubens had two Pee-wee projects in the works: a black comedy called The Pee-wee Herman Story and a family adventure film called Pee-wee’s Playhouse: The Movie.
Additionally, Reubens enjoyed a lengthy career with a variety of projects, including roles in movies Batman Returns, Buffy the Vampire Slater, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Matilda.
As for TV, his credits included 30 Rock, The Blacklist, Hercules, Rugrats, and Pushing Daisies.
In 2002, Reubens made headlines after handing himself in to police and being charged with misdemeanour possession of obscene material improperly depicting a child under the age of 18 in sexual conduct.
The self-proclaimed collector of erotica disagreed with the city’s classification of pornography.
In 2004, the charges of child pornography charges were dropped against him after he agreed to plead guilty to a lesser charge.
