Someone has paid a hefty price for the bike that the late Paul Reubens rode in Pee-wee’s Big Adventure. The movie was notable for being the first theatrical film directed by Tim Burton, and for starring the Pee-wee Herman character created by Reubens. Before that was the Pee-wee Herman Show, which began as a stage show before making its way to TV. Pee-wee’s Big Adventure debuted in 1985 and followed the titular Pee-wee on an adventure to find his stolen bicycle. It grossed over $40 million domestically on its way to becoming a fan favorite that’s still enjoyed to this day. An example of its staying power is the fact that someone paid over $100k for the bike that served as the film’s plot device.
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A rep for Van Eaton Galleries told TMZ that the screen-used stunt bike in Pee-wee’s Big Adventure was sold at auction for $125,000. There were only 14 bikes created for Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, and they were all custom-made. The bike has been restored a couple of times to keep its original appearance as it looked in the movie, but the site is told that all of its original elements are still intact. One would hope so if they’re paying over $100k for a bicycle.
Some of the iconic moments in Pee-wee’s Big Adventure include Pee-wee crashing the bike into a curb and saying, “I meant to do that,” and the iconic chase through the Warner Bros. lot, where Pee-wee recreated moments from E.T. and Tarzan.
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Tim Burton was brought on to direct Pee-wee’s Big Adventure after impressing Reubens and the producers with his work on a set of short films: 1982’s Vincent and 1984’s Frankenweenie. The success of the movie helped it spawn two sequels: 1988’s Big Top Pee-wee and 2016’s Pee-wee’s Big Holiday. As of May 1st, Pee-wee’s Big Adventure can now be streamed on Max.
Pee-wee Herman actor Paul Reubens passed away at the age of 70 in July 2023. He died of cancer, which was something that Reubens kept private. The official Pee-wee Herman Facebook page shared the details of Reubens’ death, along with a touching eulogy.
“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 message reads. “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.”
Following Reubens’ death, fans of Pee-wee’s Big Adventure left flowers at his house from the movie. The flowers were placed in the white picket fence outside of the Oxley Street home, which at the time was owned by William Young. He told The New York Times he has no plans to sell the home and intends to move into it himself at some point, calling the home a “blessing” since the Tim Burton film came out in 1985.
“It’s been a blessing since the movie came out in the ’80s,” he said. “Our house was listed on some sites of famous movie homes and had fans taking selfies in front of the house.”
He continued, “It seemed such a long time ago when they filmed outside our house. It was an unknown director Tim Burton [at that time] who worked with Pee-wee for the exterior set. The props in the front yard had [seemed] so strange. Of course, back then we didn’t know the character of Pee-wee Herman.”
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