Paul Reubens’ Cause of Death Confirmed 1 Month After Actor Dies at 70

The cause of Paul Reubens’ death was revealed a little more than a month after the actor died at the age of 70.

Reubens’ immediate cause of death was listed as acute hypoxic respiratory failure, according to his death certificate, obtained by PEOPLE. The condition occurs “when your lungs can’t release enough oxygen into your blood,” according to Healthline.

The late actor had two forms of cancer at the time of his death. The primary type, which was listed as the sequential underlying cause, was determined to be acute myeloid leukemia.

Acute myeloid leukemia is a “cancer of the blood and bone marrow,” according to the Mayo Clinic.

Reubens was also diagnosed with metastatic lung cancer — cancer that “spreads to other lungs or spreads to other parts of your body,” according to WebMD — in the months before his death.

The Blast first broke the news.

Paul Reubens on location filming ‘Pee-wee’s Big Holiday’ on May 8, 2015 in New York City.

Bobby Bank/GC images

Paul Reubens, Best Known as Pee-wee Herman, Dies at 70 After Years of Cancer: ‘Dear Friend’

Rubens, who was best known for playing his beloved character Pee-wee Herman, died on July 30 at the age of 70 after years of keeping his cancer diagnosis a secret.

“Last night we said goodbye to Paul Reubens, the 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,” his representative told PEOPLE in a statement at the time .

“Paul bravely and privately battled cancer for years with his trademark tenacity and wit,” the statement continued. “A gifted and prolific talent, he will forever live in the pantheon of comedy and in our hearts as a treasured friend and a man of extraordinary character and generosity.”

Reubens also apologized to his fans for not going public with the diagnosis in a scathing statement released after his death.

“Please accept my apology for not coming out publicly with what I’ve been dealing with for the past six years,” the comedian wrote. “I have always felt a great amount of love and respect from my friends, fans and well-wishers. I loved you all so much and enjoyed creating art for you.”

Apology by Paul Reubens after his death on July 31, 2023.

peeweeherman/Instagram

Paul Reubens cared for his father who was dying of cancer for 19 years before dying of cancer himself

Reubens made his debut as Pee-wee Herman at The Groundlings Theater in 1981 before landing a spot on HBO and continuing to play the character on the big screen in 1985. Pee-wee’s Big Adventure and the sequel from 1988 Big Top Pee-wee.

On the small screen, Pee-wee’s Playhouse it ran on CBS for five seasons from 1986 to 1990. The series later won 22 Emmy Awards, and Reubens was personally nominated for 14, winning twice.

Outside of his work as Pee-wee Herman, he played several other notable roles, including the original film version Buffy the Vampire Slayer 1992 as well as TV appearances on 30 Rock, Black list, Gotham and What we do in the shadows.

Paul ‘Pee-wee Herman’ Reubens has apologized for not disclosing his cancer diagnosis before his death

Paul Reubens.

Photo courtesy of Art Streiber / August @aspictures8BIM

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Reuben was not without his controversies. He was arrested in 1991 in Sarasota, Florida for indecent exposure. Namely, he was caught masturbating while watching a movie in an adult cinema, but he pleaded no contest to the crime and avoided being charged. He still had to do 75 hours of community service.

Almost a decade later, Reubens was arrested again in 2002 after child pornography was found in his home (he said the images were part of a collection of old erotica). He surrendered to Los Angeles police and was charged with misdemeanor possession. The charges were dropped in 2004 after he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of obscenity.

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