The HBO two-part documentary “Pee-wee as Himself” takes a better look at the life of actor and comedian Paul Reubens, the man behind the beloved comedy character. His creation was a huge success, but how much money did Reubens have at the time of his death?
With the huge success of Reubens’ character and his work in “The Pee-wee Herman Show,” “Pee-wee’s Playhouse,” “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure,” and “Big Top Pee-wee,” you may expect him to have been a multimillionaire. However, at the time of his death his net worth was estimated as $5 million, Celebrity Net Worth reports.
To put Reubens net worth in context, Phil Hartman, who played the role of Captain Carl in “Pee-wee’s Playhouse,” has an estimated net worth of $3 million, Celebrity Net Worth reports. In contrast, Laurence Fishburne, who played the role of Cowboy Curtis, has an estimated net worth of $30 million, Celebrity Net Worth reports.
Although Reubens had many career successes, including an Emmy win in 1987 for “Pee-wee’s Playhouse,” he also had some troubles, including an arrest in 1991. His tainted reputation resulted in him retiring the character, but in 2009, he appeared in “The Pee-wee Herman Show.” The stage show was held at the Music Box @ Fonda in Hollywood, Los Angeles Times reports.
Reubens died from lung cancer on July 30, 2023. He was 70. Directed by Matt Wolf, “Pee-wee as Himself” premieres Friday, May 23 at 8 p.m. ET/ PT, and will feature over 40 hours of interview footage filmed before Reubens’ death, in addition to archived footage and a collection of photographs.
A documentary preview revealed why Reubens wanted to participate in it and share his life with the world. “More than anything, the reason I wanted to make a documentary was for people to see who I really am and how painful and dreadful it was to be labeled something I wasn’t,” Reubens said in an audio recording, Us Weekly reports. “To be labeled a pariah; to have people be scared of you, or untrusting.”
He continued to film interviews with director Matt Wolf until his death, and People reports his final interview was scheduled one week before he died. “I had no reason to believe that Paul was contemplating his mortality,” Wolf told People on May 22. “I found out that Paul died on Instagram along with everybody else.”
