Paul Reubens, the actor and comic behind the long-lasting character of Pee-wee Herman, has died after a personal battle with most cancers, in accordance with a press release shared Monday on his official social media pages. He was 70. “Paul bravely and privately fought most cancers for years together with his trademark tenacity and wit,” the assertion stated. Reubens developed the character of Pee-wee Herman whereas performing with the comedy troupe The Groundlings within the Nineteen Seventies, and Pee-wee later acquired a stage present, HBO particular, TV sequence, and a number of other films. In a posthumous assertion shared on social media, Reubens apologized for “not going public with what I have been dealing with the final six years.” He added, “I’ve all the time felt an enormous quantity of affection and respect from my pals, followers and supporters. I’ve liked you all a lot and loved making artwork for you.” Tributes shortly started pouring in, and Conan O’Brien remembered Reubens’ “surreal comedy and unrelenting kindness” as “a present to us all.”