'Pee Wee Got His Wish to Fly'

Paul Reubens, best known for his Pee-wee Herman character, died Sunday night at age 70, his publicist says. In a statement shared Monday on Instagram, Reubens apologized to fans for not going public with his six-year battle with cancer. In his tribute to the comic actor, Steve Martin referred to the character's secret wish to fly, the AP reports. "Pee Wee got his wish to fly," Martin tweeted. "Thanks Paul Reubens for the brilliant off the wall comedy. Our boy Pee Wee..." More tributes:

• Jimmy Kimmel: "Paul Reubens was like no one else—a brilliant and original comedian who made kids and their parents laugh at the same time. He never forgot a birthday and shared his genuine delight for silliness with everyone he met."

• Conan O'Brien: "No tweet can capture the magic, generosity, artistry, and devout silliness of Paul Reubens. Everyone I know received countless nonsensical memes from Paul on their birthday, and I mean EVERYONE. His surreal comedy and unrelenting kindness were a gift to us all. Damn, this hurts."
• Guillermo del Toro: "One of the patron saints of all misfitted, weird, maladjusted, wonderful, miraculous oddities."
• Tim Burton: "Shocked and saddened. I'll never forget how Paul helped me at the beginning of my career. It would not have happened without his support. He was a great artist. I'll miss him." The 1985 movie Pee-wee's Big Adventure, directed by Burton, was the feature film debut for both men, People reports.
• Natasha Lyonne: "Love you so much, Paul. One in all time. Thank you for my career & your forever friendship all these years & for teaching us what a true original is."
• Laraine Newman: "Paul and I first met in 1973 at Cal Arts. We remained friends for the next 50 years. Not day to day. Just the kind of friend that you can text out of nowhere or have a 3 hour lunch with. And don't get me started on the birthday texts-he sent them ALL DAY. I feel sick."

Reubens was known for his compassion for animals, and PETA Vice President Lisa Lange was among those mourning him on Monday, Deadline reports. "Just as Pee-wee raced into a burning building to rescue dozens of animals in his Big Adventure, Paul Reubens was a real-life friend to individuals of all species," she said in a statement. "From auctioning off his time to support PETA's lifesaving work to starring in a PETA campaign celebrating Pee-wee's favorite vegan candies, he used his inimitable talents to promote compassion to animals as only he could," she said, adding. "He was our friend and our favorite rebel, and the world will be a little less joyful without him." (More Paul Reubens stories.)