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Paul Reubens, who died July 30 after a six-year battle with cancer, is a pop-culture figure so entwined with the character that catapulted him into international fame that it can be hard to separate the two.
The comedian created his Pee-wee Herman alter ego during his time in the acclaimed improv comedy group The Groundlings before premiering as Herman live in the “Pee-wee Herman Show” in 1980, which later became an HBO special.
By 1985, he made his big-screen debut with “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure,” becoming a cult classic and solidifying Reubens as one of the most beloved comedians and performers of his generation.
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