Editing Paul Reubens (section)

=== 1986–1991: ''Pee-wee's Playhouse'' ===
{{main|Pee-wee's Playhouse}}

After seeing the success of ''Pee-wee's Big Adventure'', the [[CBS]] network approached Reubens with an ill-received [[cartoon series]] proposal.<ref name="limelight" /> In 1986, CBS agreed to sign Reubens to act, produce, and direct his [[live-action]] children's program, ''[[Pee-wee's Playhouse]]'', with a budget of $325,000 per episode, the same price as a [[prime-time]] [[sitcom]],<ref name="creator speaks" /> and no creative interference from CBS; although CBS did request a few minor changes throughout the years.<ref name="av" /> After casting actors like [[Laurence Fishburne]] and [[S. Epatha Merkerson]], production began in New York City.<ref name="twenty" /> The opening credits of the show were sung by [[Cyndi Lauper]] (under the pseudonym Ellen Shaw).
''Playhouse'' was designed as an educational yet entertaining and artistic show for children and, despite being greatly influenced by 1950s shows Reubens watched as a child like ''[[The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show]]'', ''[[The Mickey Mouse Club]]'', ''[[Captain Kangaroo]]'', and ''[[Howdy Doody]]'', it quickly acquired a dual audience of kids and grownups.<ref name="once future" /><ref name="playhouse again" /><ref name="small" /> Reubens, always trying to make Pee-wee a positive role model, created a consciously moral show, one that would teach children the [[Golden Rule]].<ref name="small" /> Reubens believed that children liked ''Playhouse'' because it was fast-paced, colorful and "never talked down to them"; while parents liked ''Playhouse'' because it reminded them of the past.<ref name="small" />

In 1986, Reubens (billed as Paul Mall) was the voice of the ship's computer in ''[[Flight of the Navigator]]''. In 1987, Reubens provided the voice for the pilot [[Droid (Star Wars)|droid]] RX-24 a.k.a. Captain "Rex" in [[Star Tours]], a ''[[Star Wars]]''-themed [[motion simulator]] attraction at [[Disneyland]] and [[Disney's Hollywood Studios|Disney-MGM Studios]] at [[Walt Disney World]], and [[Disneyland Paris]].<ref name="perplex" /> He also reprised the role of Pee-wee Herman in cameo appearances in the film ''[[Back to the Beach]]'' and TV show ''[[Sesame Street]]'', the latter of which made a cameo in ''Playhouse''.<ref name="speaking">{{cite magazine |date=August 16, 1991 |title=Speaking Out |url=https://ew.com/article/1991/08/16/speaking-out-pee-wee/ |url-status=live |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090421094851/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,315142,00.html |archive-date=April 21, 2009 |access-date=October 12, 2008 }}</ref>

Right after the success of ''Pee-wee's Big Adventure'', Reubens began working with [[Paramount Pictures]] on a sequel entitled ''[[Big Top Pee-wee]]''. Reubens and George McGrath's script was directed by ''[[Grease (film)|Grease]]'' director [[Randal Kleiser]]. The film was not as successful as its predecessor, receiving mild reviews and doing just over one third as well in the box office,<ref>{{cite news|title=Big Top Pee Wee|first=Hal|last=Hinton|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=July 22, 1988 |access-date=October 13, 2008|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/bigtoppeeweepghinson_a0c8d9.htm}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Big Top Pee-Wee (1988)|first=Caryn|last=James|work=The New York Times|date=July 22, 1988 |access-date=October 13, 2008|url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=940DE1DA103FF931A15754C0A96E948260}}</ref> earning only $15&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Who killed Pee-wee Herman?|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=October 3, 1991|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-news/who-killed-pee-wee-241094/|url-access=subscription}}</ref>[[File:PaulReubens as Pee-Wee.png|thumb|Reubens giving an interview in character with [[Valeria Golino]] at the 1988 [[60th Academy Awards|Academy Awards]]]]''Pee-wee's Playhouse'' aired from September 13, 1986, until November 10, 1990. Reubens had originally agreed to do two more seasons after the third, and when CBS asked Reubens about the possibility of a sixth season he declined, wanting to take a sabbatical.<ref name="twenty" /> Reubens had been suffering from [[Occupational burnout|burnout]] from playing Pee-wee full-time and had been warning that Pee-wee was temporary and that he had other ideas he would like to work on.<ref name="perplex" /> The parties agreed to end the show after five seasons, which included [[List of Pee-wee's Playhouse episodes|45 episodes]] and a [[Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special|Christmas Special]].<ref>{{cite news|title="Pee-wee's Playhouse" comeback aimed at adults|first=Christopher|last=Short|work=The Gazette (Colorado Springs)|date=July 20, 2006}}</ref> ''Playhouse'' garnered 22 [[Daytime Emmy Award|Emmy Awards]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Appelo |first=Tim |date=June 23, 2011 |title=Paul Reubens Reveals Status of Judd Apatow's Forthcoming Pee-wee Herman Movie |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/paul-reubens-reveals-status-judd-205183/ |access-date=August 1, 2023 |newspaper=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]}}</ref>