Pee-wee's Playhouse

Pee-Wee and the playhouse puppets in "Put Down the Duckie".

Sesame Street screened in Pee-Wee's fridge.

Pee-Wee's Playhouse (1986-1991) is a highly acclaimed children's television series combining live action, puppetry, and animation, starring Pee-Wee Herman, the fictional alter ego of Paul Reubens. The series had its roots in Reubens' stage shows, and a more adult 1981 special The Pee-Wee Herman Show was the first attempt to bring the playhouse to television.

Pee-Wee himself guest starred on Sesame Street, on his playhouse set and surrounded by the show's puppet characters, in an alphabet insert and in the celebrity version of "Put Down the Duckie".

References

• The series was spoofed in the Muppet Babies episode "Gonzee's Playhouse Channel."
• Archive footage of Conky the robot is used in "This Little Piggy Went to Hollywood" when Scooter says he's sending Pee-Wee a fan letter.

Mentions

• In the episode "Camping Out" (season 5, episode 8), the food in Pee-Wee's refrigerator is shown watching Sesame Street (a clip from the show with Big Bird is seen being projected behind the food when Pee-Wee opens the door). The closing credits state: "'Sesame Street' excerpt ©1990, Children's Television Workshop."

Connections

• Sandra Bernhard played the Picturephone operator in the episode "Camping Out" (1990)
• Craig Bartlett animated some of the "Penny" segments
• John Canemaker animated the Magic Screen segments
• Kevin Carlson performed Clocky, Conky, and Floory
• Charo appeared in Pee-Wee Herman's Christmas Special (1988)
• Cher appeared in Pee-Wee Herman's Christmas Special (1988)
• E. G. Daily played Dottie in Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985)
• Tim Burton directed Pee-Wee's Big Adventure (1985)
• Laurence Fishburne played Cowboy Curtis
• Whoopi Goldberg appeared in Pee-Wee Herman's Christmas Special (1988)
• Kris Kristofferson played Mace Montana in Big Top Pee-wee (1988)
• k.d. lang appeared in Pee-Wee Herman's Christmas Special (1988)
• Cyndi Lauper performed the theme song (credited as "Ellen Shaw")
• Edie McClurg played Hermit Hattie in The Pee-wee Herman Show (1981)
• Alison Mork performed Chairry, Magic Screen, Chandelier, and Chicky Baby, and appeared in the episode "Rainy Day" as the policeman's wife
• Mark Mothersbaugh composed the theme song
• Little Richard appeared in Pee-Wee Herman's Christmas Special (1988)
• Joan Rivers appeared in Pee-Wee Herman's Christmas Special (1988)
• Dinah Shore appeared in Pee-Wee Herman's Christmas Special (1988)
• Jimmy Smits appeared as Johnny Wilson the authorized Conky repairman in the episode "Conky's Breakdown" (1989)
• Oprah Winfrey appeared in Pee-Wee Herman's Christmas Special (1988)