As somebody who grew up having fun with Pee-wee Herman, I used to be very to be taught in regards to the man behind the man-child, Paul Reubens, in Pee-wee as Himself. Director Matt Wolf’s two-part documentary, now accessible with a Max subscription, reveals many lesser-known elements in regards to the life and profession of the comic, who handed away at 70 in 2023 from lung most cancers, together with the one different performer who’s most vital to Pee-wee’s rise to prominence.
Until you might have already seen the doc, there’s a probability you may not bear in mind that the creation of Pee-wee was {a partially} collaborative effort shared between Reubens and the late Phil Hartman. Simply how did the beloved former Saturday Evening Dwell solid member contribute to the character’s improvement, and why has his involvement gone largely unacknowledged for thus a few years? Let’s get into it.
Phil Hartman Is Pee-wee’s Secret Weapon
As coated in Pee-wee as Himself, the character stems from Paul Reubens’ days as a member of The Groundlings, a comedy troupe that kickstarted the careers of many legendary performers, together with Phil Hartman. Whereas the fundamental thought for Pee-wee (a infantile aspiring comic) got here from Reubens, who debuted within the grey swimsuit and purple bow tie within the late Seventies, he took his first steps towards turning into a real icon with Hartman’s assist.
Reubens wrote the 1980 stage play The Pee-wee Herman Present (which was additionally filmed as an HBO particular) with assist from Hartman, who additionally starred in it as Captain Carl. They later collaborated on the screenplay for the now-classic ‘80s film, Pee-wee’s Massive Journey, with Michael Varhol, and Hartman reprised Captain Carl for the kids’s program, Pee-wee’s Playhouse, not less than for the primary season. So, in essence, you can say that Hartman performed a pivotal function in Pee-wee’s biggest successes however, like lots of the biggest duos in present enterprise, he and Reubens would finally go their separate methods.
The HBO Doc Additionally Sheds Gentle On Phil And Paul’s Difficult Relationship
Reubens explains in Pee-wee as Himself that when Hartman joined SNL, it marked the top of their skilled and private relationship for years. A later second exhibits Hartman on E!’s The Howard Stern Interview, by which he mentions that that they had been “estranged” for years at the moment, partially as a result of he felt Reubens cheated him out of honest credit score and compensation for Pee-wee’s Playhouse. Nonetheless, I’m fairly upset in how the documentary edits the 1998 clip.
Within the full interview, which yow will discover on YouTube, Hartman admits that he by no means sought authorized motion towards Reubens as a result of he remained an incredible admirer of the performer and his expertise. The star of the underrated ‘90s TV present, NewsRadio, additionally mentions that Reubens referred to as him as much as want him a long-overdue congratulations for his post-Pee-wee success. I suppose these moments are omitted of the doc as a result of, at that time, it discusses Reubens’ 1991 arrest for indecent publicity at an grownup movie show, and the editor needed to maintain the strain excessive.
Total, I’m grateful for Pee-wee as Himself, not only for the best way it dives deep into Paul Reubens’ profession highlights and profession lows, however for the best way it offers Phil Hartman his due as an important determine within the legacy of one in every of comedy’s most unusual performers.