'Pee-wee Herman' Star Paul Reubens Dead at 70 After Secret Cancer Battle

Paul Reubens, known for playing Pee-wee Herman, has died after secretly battling cancer, RadarOnline.com can reveal. Reubens passed away on Sunday night at the age of 70.

The news was shared on Reuben's Instagram.

“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,” Reubens’ estate wrote in the caption. “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.”

The post also included a message from Reubens to his fans.

"Please accept my apology for not going public with what I’ve been facing the last six years," a statement from the actor written before his death read. “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.”

Reuben introduced the world to Pee-wee Herman in 1980 when he launched The Pee-wee Herman Show as a stage production. He had created the fictional character with the late comedian Phil Hartman years before the program.

After selling out the show for five months straight, he scored a special with HBO.

He took his iconic comedic character to the big screen in 1985 with Tim Burton on Pee-wee’s Big Adventure. Three years later, he continued to captivate audience members in Randal Kleiser's Big Top Pee-wee.

Reubens landed his TV show Pee-wee's Playhouse in 1986, a favorite among children and adults.

Never miss a story — sign up for the RadarOnline.com newsletter to get your daily dose of dope. Daily. Breaking. Celebrity news. All free.

While the world loved his comedic character, Reubens' personal life made headlines. In 1991, he was arrested for indecent exposure at an adult movie theater.

A decade later, Reubens was charged with possession of child pornography — which was later dropped after he pled guilty to a charge of obscenity instead.

R.I.P.