Paul Reubens Movies
American comic actor Pee-Wee Herman was born Paul Rubenfield, which he later shortened professionally to Paul Reubens. While growing up in Sarasota, FL, Reubens began acting in junior high school, carrying this extracurricular interest through several colleges before graduating from the California Institute of the Arts. A natural-born clown, Reubens joined an improv group called the Groundlings, which during its existence would boast such formidable talent as Phil Hartman and Jon Lovitz. In 1978, Reubens developed the comic persona of Pee-Wee Herman, a childlike, squeaky-voiced kiddie show host reminiscent of Pinky Lee (with a little Soupy Sales thrown in). Soon "The Pee-Wee Herman Show" became a nightclub act unto itself; this multi-layered skewing of the whole children's entertainment ethic included a huge supporting cast, deliberately repulsive puppets, bizarre props, and, of course, Pee-Wee himself, who cavorted about the set like a baby speed freak. Reubens, who for all intents and purposes was Pee-Wee Herman at this point, was given frequent TV exposure thanks to Late Night With David Letterman and the home-video version of The Pee-Wee Herman Show. With former Groundling Phil Hartman, Pee-Wee/Reubens co-scripted the 1985 film Pee-Wee's Big Adventure. Though it was the inaugural project of director Tim Burton, it was not Pee-Wee's first film (he'd already shown up in The Blues Brothers [1980] and Cheech and Chong's Nice Dreams [1981]). A surrealistic reworking of the classic Italian film The Bicycle Thief, Pee-Wee's Big Adventure was a tad too bizarre for its distributor Warner Bros. The studio chose to release the film slowly on a regional basis -- but when the box-offices began to bulge, Warners gave the film a major big-city push. Audiences immediately understood that Pee-Wee's Big Adventure was meant to be a nine-year-old's notion of the Perfect World; critics, to whom nothing is ever simple, insisted upon reading all sorts of motivation and subtext into the film, and suddenly Pee-Wee Herman was the darling of the wine-and-cheese crowd. In 1986, Pee-Wee launched a Saturday morning kid's show, Pee-Wee's Playhouse, which immediately scored a hit, attracting as many adults as children (some of those adults began renting the original Pee-Wee Herman Show for their children, assuming that it would be as "safe" as the Saturday morning program -- only to be amazed at how raunchy the earlier Pee-Wee could be). The performer's popularity peaked in 1988, at which time his second film, Big Top Pee-Wee, was released. This film was not as cohesive nor as funny as the first, and it was a disappointment for both Reubens and his fans. The actor began announcing plans to "kill" his alter-ego and become Paul Reubens again in public. But the death of "Pee-Wee" came not as a suicide, but more of a crime of passion when Reubens was arrested in 1991 for indecent exposure at a screening of a porno movie. Backlash from the incident -- including the pulling of Pee-Wee merchandise off the shelves of stores and CBS' immediate cancellation of his Saturday morning show -- effectively forced the performer to abandon the Pee-Wee character. Since his fateful night at the movies, Reubens has appeared as the Penguin's father in Batman Returns (1992), a hand-me-down Dracula in Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992), and a voice in Tim Burton's animated feature The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993). Reubens also became a semi-regular guest on the CBS television sitcom Murphy Brown. As time went on the public either forgot or forgave Reubens for his past indiscretions, and after a series of small film roles lead to larger roles in such films as Blow (2000), Reubens' past (as well as the Pee-Wee Herman alter-ego that made him famous) faded, giving the public a chance to reacquaint themselves with the actor outside of the context of his once-famous persona. In 2001 Reubens' popularity experienced something of a revival as he returned to television as the host of the popular computer trivia game turned game show You Don't Know Jack. Interviews with Reubens even hinted at a resurrection of Pee-Wee Herman in the form of a proposed trilogy in which the character, after becoming a popular celebrity, would struggle with the ill-effects of fame. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
In this socially conscious, satirical made-for-television drama, a con-artist becomes one of the nation's top televangelists. The film is also known as K-GOD. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
The crux of this limited, juvenile comedy is a complex game that begins at midnight and ends by morning. Of main interest is the fact that a young Michael J. Fox plays one of the students involved in the game. Leon (Alan Solomon) has spent a year creating the game and practically needs that long to convince his fellow students to play it. Eventually he wins out, and the various teams of classic stereotypes -- the nerd, the well-groomed hero, the obnoxious sorority sister, the easily duped freshman, and others -- all converge on Los Angeles at midnight. Their treks take them through the Griffith Observatory which because of those odd hours astronomers keep, could conceivably be open. Other locales are interestingly open too, apparently Los Angeles never sleeps. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi
- Starring:
- David Naughton, Debra Clinger, (more)
In an unfunny, scattered sequel to their successful Up in Smoke, Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong reprise their roles as carefree men who do inhale. But this time around Cheech is out of a job and trying to dodge his bilious neighbor while chasing the lovely Donna (Evelyn Guerrero) with anything but honorable intentions. Meanwhile, Cheech's cousin Red (also Cheech Marin) and Chong go tooling around Hollywood in a luxury sports car looking for adventure. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi
- Starring:
- Cheech Marin, Tommy Chong, (more)
Expanding on their Saturday Night Live characters, John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd star as Jake and Elwood Blues, two white boys with black soul. Sporting cool shades and look-alike suits, Jake and Elwood are dispatched on a "mission from God" by their former teacher, Sister Mary Stigmata (Kathleen Freeman). Said mission is to raise $5000 to save an orphanage. In the course of their zany adventures, the Blues Brothers run afoul of neo-Nazi Henry Gibson, perform the theme from Rawhide before the most unruly bar crowd in written history, and lay waste to hundreds of cars on the streets and freeways of Chicago. In case you aren't swept up in the infectuous nuttiness of the brothers Blue, you might have fun spotting film's legion of guest stars, including James Brown, Cab Calloway, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, John Candy, Carrie Fisher, Steve Lawrence, Twiggy, Paul Reubens (aka Pee-Wee Herman), Frank Oz, and Steven Spielberg. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, (more)
- 1981
No relation to the later cable-TV sitcom of the same name, Dream On is a tale of struggling LA actors seeking out an audience. This talented but impoverished troupe stages a "guerilla theatre" production, wherein each actor takes on a variety of characterizations. Given that the actors include an ex-hooker and a pair of mismatched homosexuals, perhaps the troupe is using their production as a means of escaping the torments of their own lives. Perhaps, nothing-that's just what they're doing. Most of the unknown players in Dream On have remained unknown, with the spectacular exceptions of Ed Harris and Paul "Pee-wee Herman" Reubens. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1981
- R
- Add Cheech and Chong's Nice Dreams to Queue Add Cheech and Chong's Nice Dreams to top of Queue
Here, the dope-smoking duo are working on an ice-cream truck, and their specially treated confections are more than just a hit for the kids. Nice Dreams is the third in the series. ~ John Bush, Rovi
- Starring:
- Cheech Marin, Tommy Chong, (more)
- 1982
- PG
Tom Smothers and Carol Kane co-star with Paul Reubens and Judge Reinhold in this uneven comedy spoof of slasher films. Sergeant Cooper (Smothers) is a Canadian Mountie who investigates the death of cheerleaders attending a summer camp at Indiana's It Had To Be University. Cameo appearances by Eve Arden, Kaye Ballard, Eileen Brennan, Tab Hunter, and Donald O'Connor fail to add anything to the thin, sophomoric plot. This film should not be confused with the similarly titled 1988 Australian feature directed by Hadyn Keenan. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi
- Starring:
- Tom Smothers, Carol Kane, (more)
Paul Reubens' Pee-Wee Herman character first attracted widespread notice as a result of this HBO special, which preceded both the Tim Burton-directed film Pee-Wee's Big Adventure and the Peabody Award-winning children's series Pee-Wee's Playhouse. A filmed document of Herman's nightclub show, the performance is an obvious precursor to the later kids' TV series, and features many of the same characters, including Captain Carl (Phil Hartman) and Jombi the Genie (John Paragon); still, the humor is considerably more risqué and adult than the later Herman projects. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi
- 1983
- G
- Add Faerie Tale Theatre: Pinocchio to Queue Add Faerie Tale Theatre: Pinocchio to top of Queue
Paul Reubens is the troublemaking title character in this installment of Faerie Tale Theatre. Carl Reiner stars as Gepetto, the lonely woodcarver who wishes for a son and creates a wooden marionette named Pinnochio as a substitute. One night a good fairy pays a visit and brings Pinnochio to life, but not without a catch -- he must behave himself and never lie or else his nose will grow. This charming adaptation also features James Coburn as a sly gypsy and a scene-stealing Lainie Kazan as the outrageous Blue Fairy with a hilariously exaggerated Italian accent. ~ Carrie Downes, Rovi
- 1984
- PG
There have been almost enough Meatballs to make a plate of spaghetti, but this entry about a decisive boxing match between two youth camps is basically inedible without Bill Murray to add the necessary zest, as he did in the original Meatballs. "The Flash" (John Mengatti) is out on probation but has to serve time at Camp Sasquatch as a counselor-in-training (!) as a part of the probation terms. There, he meets the super-innocent Cheryl (Kim Richards), adding interest to his job, but none of the characters in Camp Sasquatch or its rival Camp Patton add much interest to the film. Hershey (Hamilton Camp) is the one-dimensional fascist who runs the militaristic Camp Patton and sure enough, his aide-de-camp is a closet gay (John Larroquette). (Paul Reubens) of Pee Wee Herman fame is a minor player, Richard Mulligan is Giddy (an apt name for his character) and when these oddballs are combined with a strange- looking alien and the final boxing match that will save Camp Sasquatch if only The Flash can win, the pastiche is somewhat hard to digest. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi
- Starring:
- Archie Hahn III, John Mengatti, (more)
- 1985
This 1985 episode of Saturday Night Live is hosted by Pee-Wee Herman and features musical guest Queen Ida & The Bon Temps Zydeco Band. ~ Skyler Miller, Rovi
- Starring:
- Paul Reubens, Queen Ida, (more)
Co-written by Paul Reubens and Phil Hartman, Pee Wee's Big Adventure marks the debut of director Tim Burton, who stamps the entire film with his quirky trademark style. The premise: Pee Wee (Reubens), an overgrown pre-pubescent boy sporting a molded Princeton cut, blush, lipstick, and a shrunken gray flannel suit, lives an idyllic life in his bizarre home (some have compared the remarkable set design to the expressionistic The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari) until someone nabs his most prized possession: a fire engine-red customized bicycle. He then embarks on an epic cross-country search to find his lost love, not to mention more than a little adventure. Along the way, he makes friends with various oddball characters, visits the Alamo, endures various hallucinatory nightmares, and has a supernatural run-in with a spectral trucker. In this reprisal of his popular standup routine, Reubens is wonderful as the nerdy man child; he plays it silly, yet he manages to imbue the role with some sensitivity without ever seeming maudlin. The score by Danny Elfman is terrific -- as is the case in nearly every film Burton has directed -- and the script is fresh and inventive. Some of the most memorable moments: the opening sequence involving Pee Wee's morning activities is a stroke of genius (note the bunny slippers and talking breakfast), as are the scenes at the truck stop, and the "Hollywood" version of Pee Wee's story at the end (starring James Brolin and Morgan Fairchild in surprise cameos). In all, Pee Wee's Big Adventure is a delightful film, enjoyable for children as well as adults. ~ Jeremy Beday, Rovi
- Starring:
- Paul Reubens, Elizabeth Daily, (more)
- 1986
Pee-wee's magic show comes to an abrupt end when he disappears for real! He has some fun using his invisibility to play tricks on his friends --- but the fun is over when he's unable to rematerialize. Can Jambi come to the rescue? By the way, today's secret word is "Little", so you know what to do for the rest of the day. And as an extra added attraction, Pee-wee makes a salad! "Now You See Me, Now You Don't" was released on video in tandem with "Luau for Two" in Volume 6 of Pee-wee's Playhouse, and also on a triple bill with "Rainy Day" and "Cowboy Fun" in an earlier Pee-wee collection. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Paul Reubens
- 1986
The secret word is "This" on this (SCREAM REAL LOUD!) episode. Pee-wee throws a party and invites all the gang, including Cowboy Curtis, Captain Carl, Miss Yvonne and Reba the Mail Lady. They do the hokey-pokey (and turn it all around), then wrap things up with a quick game of "Pin the Tail on Globey." This (SCREAM REAL LOUD!) is loads of fun. "Party" was released on video in tandem with "The Gang's All Here" in Volume 5 of Pee-wee's Playhouse. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Paul Reubens
- 1986
Today's secret word is "Okay" --- and as a bonus, everybody gets a secret name in this episode. Pee-wee coaxes his Playhouse pals to sketch his portrait in crayon. He then pays a visit to a mousehole, only to get stuck. Jambi saves the day by shrinking Pee-wee's head, but is it a permanent shrinkage? (After all, he only gets one wish.) Calvert DeForest, a.k.a. "Larry 'Bud' Melman' from Late Night with David Letterman, guest-stars as new gang member Rusty. "The Gang's All Here" was first released on video in tandem with "Party" in Volume 5 of Pee-wee's Playhouse. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Paul Reubens
- 1986
Pee-wee Herman, the effervescent man-child created by actor Paul Reubens during his years with the Groundlings comedy troupe, was the star of the delightfully "retro" CBS kiddie show Pee-Wee's Playhouse. Each week (beginning Saturday, September 13, 1986), the titular hero whisked the viewers to puppetland, a magical world filled with anthropomorphic furniture, talking animals, and some of the zaniest human characters this side of the Milky Way. Joining Pee-Wee in his surrealistic adventures were Lynne Stewart as Miss Yvonne, "the most beautiful lady in Puppetland"; John Paragon as Jambi, a disembodied genie head who grants Pee-Wee one wish per week; Gilbert Lewis and later William Marshall as the King of Cartoons, who showed vintage animation clips on his own portable projector; Shirley Stoler and Suzanne Kent as Pee-Wee's neighbors Mrs. Steve and Mrs. Rene; and Gregory Harrison as Conky, a frequently malfunctioning robot. Prominent amongst the very animated inanimate objects in Pee-Wee's oddly shaped (but warmly inviting) playhouse were Chairry the Chair, Globey the Globe, a bunch of talking flowers, the all-purpose Magic Screen, and even a chatty floor named Floory. And there was a veritable honor roll of puppet and marionettes characters, ranging from Countess the Cow to red-headed troublemaker Randy. Oh, and let's not forget such peripheral personalities as the Dinosaur Family, the Ant Farm, and Penny (all depicted via stop-motion animation), and, during season five, a Spanish-speaking cartoon superhero named El Hombre. In addition to the above-mentioned "regulars," Pee-Wee's Playhouse featured a number of stellar performers on their way up. Laurence Fishburne was seen as rope-twirlin', knee-slappin' Cowboy Curtis, Phil Hartman showed up as crusty Captain Carl, Law & Order's S. Epatha Merkerson popped in as Reba the Mail Lady (replacing Johann Carlo, who during the series' first season was cast as trumpet-blowing mail carrier Dixie), and future leading lady Natasha Lyonne was Opal, one of the many children who congregated at the Playhouse each week. And speaking of children, the kids at home were invited to join in on the fun by "screaming real loud" whenever anyone spoke the Secret Word of the Day. The bulk of the series' 45 half-hour episodes -- which featured everything from indoor luaus to sleepovers to space travel -- were filmed during the first three seasons, with seasons four and five yielding only a handful of new installments. Contrary to popular belief, Pee-Wee's Playhouse was not canceled by CBS in the summer of 1991 due to adverse publicity involving Paul Reubens' private life; rather, Reubens himself had already made the decision to pull the plug on the show at the end of season five. The recipient of no fewer than 22 Emmy nominations, Pee-Wee's Playhouse has also been voted one of the Top 25 Cult Shows by TV Guide -- and like most cult shows, it entertained on two levels, as nonstop fun for the kiddies and sly satire for adults. To quote Jambi the Genie, "Mekka-lekka-hi, mekka-hiney-ho!" ~ Rovi
- 1986
After watching a Wild West Show staged by the Ant Farm, Pee-wee wants to know all about being a rootin', tootin' cowboy. He balks, however, when Cowboy Curtis jokingly informs him that a typical cowboy diet consists of cactus, frogs and rattlesnakes. All kidding aside, Curtis offers to teach Pee-wee how to square dance --- and in exchange, Pee-wee instructs Curtis in the intricacies of "Pogo." And today's secret word is "Back", so get ready to scream REAL LOUD!!! "Cowboy" fun was originally released on video as part of a Pee-wee's Playhouse triple feature, with "Rainy Day" and "Now You See Me, Now You Don't." ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Paul Reubens
The year is 1978: 12-year-old David Freeman (Joey Cramer), playing in the woods near his home, is knocked unconscious. He awakens and heads home, only to find strangers living there. He also finds that the year is 1986, and that he's been officially missing for eight years. NASA officials determine that David was abducted by aliens during his blackout, and hope to scan the boy's brain in order to unlock a few secrets of the universe. Answering the call of a strange, unseen force, David boards a well-hidden spaceship and takes off, guided by the jocular voice of a computer named MAX (voiced by none other than Paul Reubens, aka Pee-Wee Herman). Realizing that he can't fit in to 1986 so long as he's a child of the '70s, David hopes to retrace the steps of his alien abductors and get back to his own time. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Joey Cramer, Veronica Cartwright, (more)
- 1986
Today's secret word is "there"...but where is Pee-Wee's mail? Everyone else in the playhouse has gotten a letter except our hero. Reba the Mail Lady makes the wise observation that to receive a letter, you must send one out first, so Pee-Wee does, to Captain Carl. Later, Randy swipes a few apples from Mrs. Steve (and lives to regret it). Then, Pee-Wee wishes he was a fish, and Jambi obliges him. Listen for the premiere of that hit tune "Pee-Wee Herman Had a Farm." This first season episode of Pee-Wee's Playhouse is one of the few that was not released to home video in the 1980s. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Paul Reubens
- 1986
The 13 first-season episodes of Pee-wee's Playhouse have become such beloved classics that it hardly seems necessary to offer an overview, but here goes anyway: In "Ice Cream Soup," the series opener, Pee-Wee (Paul Reubens) introduces us to his friends Miss Yvonne (Lynne Stewart), Cowboy Curtis (yes, that's Laurence Fishburne), Jambi the Genie (John Paragon), Captain Carl (Phil Hartman), and the King of Cartoons (Gilbert Lewis), among many others. He also treats us to the first Secret Word, "door" (and remember to SCREAM REAL LOUD!). "Luau for Two" finds Pee-Wee throwing a luau in the Playhouse, tiki torches and all. Our hero breaks out the paper airplanes and whipped cream when he is cooped up indoors on a "Rainy Day" -- and also makes a prank phone call, much to his everlasting regret. In "Just Another Day," Cowboy Curtis teaches Pee-Wee how to square-dance. "Now You See Me, Now You Don't" is highlighted by Pee-Wee's magic show, which ends up rendering him invisible. Miss Yvonne treats grouchy neighbor Mrs. Steve (Shirley Stoler) to a "Beauty Makeover" in the episode of the same name. "The Restaurant" is what Pee-Wee calls his own kitchen when Captain Carl shows up for a peanut-butter sandwich. Everyone has "Ants in Your Pants" when the denizens of Pee-Wee's animated ant farm make good their escape. A one-eyed "Monster in the Playhouse" soon finds Pee-Wee surrounded by a whole bunch of new friends. A nervous Cowboy Curtis stages a dress rehearsal of his date with Miss Yvonne in "Cowboy and the Countess." Rascally Randy suffers mightily when he consumes the "Stolen Apples" from Mrs. Steve's backyard. Pee-Wee is rescued from a mousehole by his kiddie pals (including at least one overgrown "ringer") in "The Gang's All Here." And it's nonstop fun for everyone, including the usually reserved Reba the Mail Lady (S. Epatha Merkerson) in the aptly titled "Party." It was during this maiden season of Pee-Wee's Playhouse that the series won the first of its many Emmy awards, one for Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction and Outstanding Achievement in Videotape Editing. ~ Rovi
- Starring:
- Paul Reubens
- 1986
Today's secret word is "Remember." But Miss Yvonne is more interested in the future than in the past when she asks Cowboy Curtis on a date. The nervous Curtis practices his etiquette with Countess the Cow, then goes on a dress rehearsal for his big evening -- with Pee-wee impersonating Miss Yvonne! "Cowboy and the Countess" was released on video in tandem with "Reba Eats, Pteri Runs" in Volume 14 of Pee-wee's Playhouse. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Paul Reubens
- 1987
Pee-wee solicits the aid of Jambi when he wants to deliver a letter "Now" (which happens to be today's secret word). Reba the Mail Lady is not happy about giving up her day off, so Pee-wee mollifies Reba by inviting her to lunch. Meanwhile, Pterri is exiled to his nest for being naughty, leading to a few anxious moments when the crestfallen pterodactyl decides to run (or fly) away from home. "Reba Eats, Pterri Runs" was released on video in tandem with "Cowboy and the Countess" in Volume 14 of Pee-wee's Playhouse. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Paul Reubens
Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello not only starred in the delightfully "retro" Back to the Beach, but also served as executive producers. Appropriately set 25 years after such drive-in faves as Beach Blanket Bingo, the film finds Frankie and Annette as husband and wife, living far from the surf 'n' sand in Ohio. Heading to California to visit their daughter Lori Loughlin, Frankie and Annette are appalled to learn that she has been keeping time with punker Tommy Hinkley. In time-honored fashion, our hero and heroine set about to make the beach safe for funlovers everywhere by driving out Hinkley's unsavory pals. Along the way, Frankie nearly bollixes up his marriage by dallying with Connie Stevens-one of several pop-culture icons appearing in Back to the Beach, including Don Adams, Bob Denver, Jerry Mathers, Tony Dow, Dick Dale & the Del-Tones , Stevie Ray Vaughan, and even Pee-wee Herman! Back to the Beach is fun for a while, but its six-person writing team can't figure out a logical way to wind it all up. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Frankie Avalon, Annette Funicello, (more)
- 1987
Pee-wee is confused when Conky produces today's magic word: "Zyzzybalubah." But sure enough, the magic word is spoken, whereupon the entire Playhouse gang is whisked into Outer Space, including visitor Reba the Mail Lady. Landing on a mysterious red planet, our friends confront a squeaky-voiced alien who bears a startling resemblance to Miss Yvonne --- and an omnipotent ruler whose name happens to be Zyzzybalubah! "Playhouse in Outer Space" was released on video in tandem with "Pee-wee's Store" in Volume 3 of Pee-wee's Playhouse. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Paul Reubens
- 1987
There are screams aplenty when Conky reveals that the secret word is "It." But Pee-wee doesn't want to scream, especially after a toothache sends him to the dentist. For all his preaching about proper dental care, Pee-wee is terrrified at the prospect of oral surgery -- though it (big scream!) turns out, his fears are unfounded. "To Tell the Tooth" (sometimes mislabeled "To Tell the Truth") was first released on video in tandem with "Pajama Party" in Volume 4 of Pee-wee's Playhouse. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Paul Reubens
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