Paul Reubens Net Worth (Money & Salary)

What was Paul Reubens’ Net Worth and Salary?

Known primarily for his character “Pee-wee Herman,” Paul Reubens was an American comedian, actor, and television personality whose net worth reached $5 million at the time of his passing. He passed away on July 31, 2023, at the age of 70. Reubens gained widespread recognition for Pee-wee Herman, a peculiar and eccentric man-child he first portrayed in the late 1970s as part of The Groundlings, an improvisational and sketch comedy troupe.

In 1981, he brought the Pee-wee character to life in the cult stage show, “The Pee-wee Herman Show,” which later transitioned into an HBO special. This achievement paved the way for the beloved children’s television series “Pee-wee’s Playhouse” (1986-1990) and the feature films “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure” (1985) and “Big Top Pee-wee” (1988). His role on “Pee-wee’s Playhouse” earned him an Emmy Award in 1987.

Apart from Pee-wee, Reubens demonstrated versatility in his career, featuring in films like “Batman Returns” (1992), “Mystery Men” (1999), and “Blow” (2001), as well as guest appearances on television shows such as “30 Rock” and “Black Mirror.” Despite some controversial episodes in his personal life, Reubens remained a cherished figure due to his creativity and commitment to his craft.

Early Life

Born Paul Rubenfeld on August 27, 1952, in Peekskill, New York, Paul Reubens was raised in Sarasota, Florida, by his parents, Judy (née Rosen) and Milton Rubenfeld, who owned a lamp store. He grew up alongside his two younger siblings, Abby and Luke. Milton Rubenfeld, previously an automobile salesman, had served in World War II for the British Royal Air Force and the U.S. Army Air Forces and was among the founding pilots of the Israeli Air Force. During his youth, Reubens frequently attended circus performances by the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, whose winter headquarters were in Sarasota, Florida. This early engagement with the circus greatly impacted his interest in entertainment and shaped his unique entertaining style.

As a student at Sarasota High School, Reubens was heavily involved in theater activities and held the presidency of the National Thespian Society. He was accepted into a summer program for gifted high school students at Northwestern University and went on to attend Boston University, where he auditioned for several acting schools. After facing rejections from institutions like Juilliard and Carnegie Mellon, he relocated to California to study at the California Institute of the Arts. While pursuing his education, he worked in restaurant kitchens, served as a Fuller Brush salesman, and performed at local comedy clubs throughout the 1970s. Additionally, he spent six years with the Los Angeles improvisational comedy team, The Groundlings.

Early Pee-Wee Herman

The Pee-Wee Herman character was born out of a 1978 improvisational session with The Groundlings. He represents an individual aspiring to be a comedian but is painfully inept at telling jokes, making his inevitable failure apparent to everyone. Reubens developed Pee-wee’s distinctive way of speaking in 1970 while performing in “Life with Father,” where he portrayed an excessively annoying character. The moniker “Pee-Wee” was inspired by the Pee Wee brand harmonica, while “Herman” was taken from the name of a boy Reubens knew during his childhood.

Television Success

Reubens initially auditioned for the 1980-1981 season of “Saturday Night Live.” However, Gilbert Gottfried, who bore a similar acting style and was closely associated with a show producer, was chosen for the role instead. Disappointed by the rejection, Reubens secured a loan and launched his own show in Los

The character Pee-Wee Herman, inspired by Paul Reubens, hails from Los Angeles. He received the backing of fellow Groundlings, including John Paragon, Phil Hartman, and Lynne Marie Stewart. “The Pee-Wee Herman Show” enjoyed five months of sold-out performances at The Roxy Theatre, featuring midnight shows for adults alongside matinees for children. With the assistance of HBO, his show reached a broader audience when it aired as part of the “On Location” series in 1981. As Pee-Wee’s fame escalated, Reubens dedicated himself to making public appearances and participating in interviews as the character, promoting Pee-Wee as a genuine persona rather than merely his stage identity, all to have “the public think that that was a real person.” His subsequent appearances on programs like “Late Night with David Letterman” during the mid-1980s, along with touring “The Pee-Wee Herman Show” nationwide, significantly bolstered his notoriety and success.

Film Success

With “The Pee-Wee Herman Show” experiencing immense popularity, Warner Bros. approached Reubens to craft a full-length feature film about Pee-Wee. The resulting movie, “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure” (1985), chronicles Pee-Wee’s quest across the country to reclaim his stolen bicycle. After viewing his earlier works “Vincent” (1982) and “Frankenweenie” (1984), Reubens and the film’s producers chose Tim Burton as the director. The film proved to be a tremendous success, accumulating over $40 million at the domestic box office against a modest $7 million budget. Though it received mixed critical reviews, it attained cult film status over time. In 1986, CBS reached out to Reubens to develop his own live-action children’s series. In addition to acting, he produced and directed “Pee-Wee’s Playhouse,” which aired from 1986 to 1990 with an impressive budget of $325,000 per episode. Despite being aimed at children, it also garnered a significant adult audience.

1991 Arrest and Comeback

As many are aware, Paul Reubens faced a significant career hurdle in 1991 when he was arrested in Florida for indecent exposure. This scandal tarnished his previously pristine public image, prompting CBS to withdraw reruns of “Pee-Wee’s Playhouse” from its lineup.

Gradually, he worked towards a career revival, appearing in films such as “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” (1992), “Matilda” (1996), “Mystery Men” (1999), and “Blow” (2001). He later secured a recurring role on the hit sitcom “Murphy Brown.”

In 2010, he revived Pee-Wee on Broadway, starring in “The Pee-Wee Herman Show.”

The following year, he voiced Jokey in the family-friendly comedy “The Smurfs” and returned for its 2013 sequel.

In 2016, Netflix premiered “Pee-wee’s Big Holiday.”

Personal Life

Apart from his 1991 incident, Herman had an earlier brush with the law in 1971 for loitering and prowling, a case that was subsequently dropped. In 1983, he faced probation for two years due to marijuana possession. In 2002, he was arrested and charged with possession of obscene materials that allegedly depicted minors in sexual acts, maintaining his innocence by asserting that the materials were part of his vintage erotica collection.

Real Estate

Using his earnings from “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure,” Paul purchased a 3,000-square-foot home in LA’s Los Feliz neighborhood for $415,000 in 1985, which became his primary residence for nearly four decades. In May 2024, Paul’s estate listed this home for sale at just under $5 million, ultimately selling for $3.8 million in July 2024.