Tim Burton is paying tribute to Pee-wee Herman actor Paul Reubens following news of the iconic performer’s death at age 70. The director, who worked alongside Reubens on numerous projects, including Burton’s feature-film directorial debut, Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, took to Instagram Monday to mourn the loss of his friend alongside a photo of the two on set of the1985 film together.
Burton wrote that he was “shocked and saddened” at the news of Reubens’ death, writing, “I’ll never forget how Paul helped me at the beginning of my career. It would not have happened without his support.” The director concluded his tribute simply, “He was a great artist. I’ll miss him.” Reubens not only worked with Burton on Pee-wee’s Big Adventure but also on 1993’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, which featured Reubens as Lock and Burton as the co-producer and story writer. The late actor also appeared in Burton’s 1992 film Batman Returns, where he played the father of Danny DeVito’s Penguin, a role he would later revisit in the series Gotham as Elijah Van Dahl.
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Reubens had nothing but praise for Burton when he spoke to Collider in 2016 about choosing the now-Oscar-nominated director to direct Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, despite his lack of feature-film directing experience. “I think it was the wallpaper in Frankenweenie, in the second shot of the movie,” Reubens said of what turned his eye toward Burton, referencing the 1984 short film the director would later turn into a full-length film in 2012. “From the first minute of his film, I could tell that he was somebody who was very interested in style. He brought style to something, and a lot of young directors aren’t there yet. … I could tell that he had a style, and that he understood production design and art direction. There was a lot of stuff about that first film that felt perfect to me.”
Reubens’ official Instagram account confirmed the performer’s death Monday after a years-long battle with cancer. “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,” the announcement read. “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.”
