Paul Reubens Net Worth (Money & Salary)
Title: Paul Reubens Net Worth (Money & Salary)
Last Updated: February 5, 2025
Paul Reubens’ Net Worth and Salary Overview
At the time of his death, Paul Reubens, famed for his character and alter ego “Pee-wee Herman,” had a net worth of $5 million. He passed away on July 31, 2023, at the age of 70. Reubens became widely recognized for portraying Pee-wee Herman, a whimsical and quirky man-child first introduced in the late 1970s while associated with The Groundlings, an improvisational and sketch comedy group.
In 1981, he transformed Pee-wee into a hit stage production, “The Pee-wee Herman Show,” which subsequently aired as an HBO special. This triumph paved the way for the children’s television series “Pee-wee’s Playhouse” (1986-1990) and feature films like “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure” (1985) and “Big Top Pee-wee” (1988). His exceptional role in “Pee-wee’s Playhouse” earned him an Emmy Award in 1987.
Reubens’ career extended beyond the Pee-wee character, as he appeared in notable films such as “Batman Returns” (1992), “Mystery Men” (1999), and “Blow” (2001), and made guest appearances on television shows like “30 Rock” and “Black Mirror.” Although he faced a few controversies in his personal life, he remained a beloved figure for his imaginative work and dedication to performance.
Paul Reubens: Early Life
Born Paul Rubenfeld on August 27, 1952, in Peekskill, New York, Reubens was raised in Sarasota, Florida, by parents Judy (née Rosen) and Milton Rubenfeld, who owned a lamp store. He grew up alongside two younger siblings, Abby and Luke. Milton, who had a varied career including automobile sales, served in the British Royal Air Force and the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II and was one of the founding pilots of the Israeli Air Force. As a child, Reubens frequently attended circus performances by the Ringling Bros. And Barnum & Bailey Circus due to their winter headquarters being in Sarasota, which deeply influenced his entertainment style.
Reubens was active in the theater program at Sarasota High School, where he also served as the president of the National Thespian Society. He was accepted into a summer program for gifted high school students at Northwestern University. Later, he attended Boston University while auditioning for various acting schools. After being turned down by prestigious institutions like Juilliard and Carnegie-Mellon, he relocated to California to join the California Institute of the Arts. During his time in school, he worked in restaurant kitchens and as a Fuller Brush salesman, while also performing at local comedy venues throughout the 1970s. He dedicated six years to the improvisational comedy group The Groundlings in Los Angeles.
The Birth of Pee-Wee Herman
The persona of “Pee-Wee Herman” originated from a 1978 improvisational session with The Groundlings. The character is inspired by a man aspiring to be a comic but failing miserably at joke-telling, making it clear to everyone he would not succeed. Reubens developed Pee-wee’s unique manner of speaking in 1970 while portraying an obnoxious character in the production of “Life with Father.” The name “Pee-Wee” was derived from the Pee Wee brand harmonica, while “Herman” was taken from a childhood acquaintance of Reubens.
Success on Television
Initially, Reubens auditioned for the 1980-1981 season of “Saturday Night Live,” but the role went to Gilbert Gottfried, who shared a similar comedic style and was well connected to a producer of the show. Frustrated by the rejection, Reubens managed to secure funding and established his own show in Los…
The Pee-Wee Herman character inspired the creation of the show in Los Angeles, with support from fellow Groundlings like John Paragon, Phil Hartman, and Lynne Marie Stewart. “The Pee-Wee Herman Show” achieved remarkable success, running for five consecutive months at The Roxy Theatre, featuring midnight performances for adults alongside matinee shows for children. In 1981, HBO played a crucial role in bringing the show to a broader audience by airing “The Pee-Wee Herman Show” as part of its “On Location” series. As Pee-Wee’s popularity grew, Reubens began to appear publicly and give interviews solely as Pee-Wee, referring to the character by that name in an effort to make the public believe that he was a real person. Appearances on programs like “Late Night with David Letterman” in the mid-1980s, coupled with nationwide performances of “The Pee-Wee Herman Show,” further solidified his fame.
Mike Windle/Getty Images
Film Success
Following the immense popularity of “The Pee-Wee Herman Show,” Warner Bros. decided to collaborate with Reubens to develop a full-length film featuring Pee-Wee Herman. The film “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure” (1985) chronicles Pee-Wee’s cross-country quest to find his bike, which has been stolen. Impressed by Tim Burton’s earlier works, including “Vincent” (1982) and “Frankenweenie” (1984), Reubens and the producers chose him to direct the film. With a modest budget of $7 million, the movie became a tremendous success, grossing over $40 million domestically. Despite receiving mixed reviews from critics, it has since achieved cult classic status. In 1986, Reubens was approached by CBS to develop his own live-action children’s program. He took on multifaceted roles as not just the actor, but also the producer and director of the series. “Pee-Wee’s Playhouse” ran from 1986 to 1990, with a production budget of $325,000 per episode, appealing not only to children but to many adults as well.
1991 Arrest and Comeback
You might recall that Paul Reubens faced a serious setback in his career in 1991, when he was arrested in Florida for indecent exposure. This incident tarnished his previously pristine image, leading CBS to remove reruns of Pee-Wee’s Playhouse from its programming.
Gradually, Reubens worked towards a career resurgence, appearing in films like “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” (1992), “Matilda” (1996), “Mystery Men” (1999), and “Blow” (2001). He subsequently secured a recurring role on the well-known sitcom “Murphy Brown.”
In 2010, he revived Pee-Wee on Broadway with “The Pee-Wee Herman Show.”
The following year, he voiced Jokey in the beloved family comedy “The Smurfs” and contributed to its 2013 sequel.
Netflix premiered “Pee-wee’s Big Holiday” in 2016.
Personal Life
Apart from his 1991 arrest, Herman faced legal troubles in 1971, when he was arrested for loitering and prowling, though those charges were later dropped. In 1983, he received a two-year probation sentence for marijuana possession. Additionally, in 2002, he was arrested and charged with possessing obscene material featuring minors under 18 in sexual situations. He maintained his innocence, asserting that the materials in question were actually part of his vintage erotica collection.
Real Estate
Using earnings from “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure,” Paul acquired a 3,000-square-foot home on 1.4 acres in LA’s Los Feliz neighborhood for $415,000 in 1985. For the next four decades, this residence remained his primary home. In May 2024, Paul’s estate listed the property for just under $5 million, and it was sold in July 2024 for $3.8 million.
Paul Reubens Net Worth (Money & Salary)
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Data compiled pertains to 2023 and 2024, with projections extending through 2025 and 2026. We also broaden the forecast data to include 2027 and 2028.
* This information was taken from various sources around the world, including these countries:
Australia, Canada, USA, UK, UAE, India, Pakistan, Philippines, Indonesia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Kenya, US, United Kingdom, United States of America, Malaysia, U.S., South Africa, New Zealand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates.
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antarctica, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan.
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Bouvet Island, Brazil, British Indian Ocean Territory, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi.
Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling Islands), Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote D’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Croatia (Hrvatska), Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic.
Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Faroe Islands, Fiji, Finland, France, Metropolitan, French Guiana, French Polynesia, French Southern Territories.
Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Heard and McDonald Islands, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy.
Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg.
Macau, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar.
Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, New Caledonia, New Zealand (NZ), Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Norway.
Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Pitcairn, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Reunion, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and The Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe.
Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands, Spain, Sri Lanka, St. Helena, St. Pierre and Miquelon, Sudan, Suriname, Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria.
Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tokelau, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates (UAE), UK (United Kingdom), USA (United States of America, U.S.), US Minor Outlying Islands.
Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vatican City State (Holy See), Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands (British), Virgin Islands (US), Wallis and Futuna Islands, Western Sahara, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Post Title: Paul Reubens Net Worth (Money & Salary)
Last Updated: February 5, 2025