History Trivia / PeeWeesPlayhouse

* ScheduleSlip: There was supposed to be a full 10-episode 3rd season in 1988, but due to conflicts with the WGA Strike and the filming of ''Film/BigTopPeewee'', Creator/PaulReubens could only deliver a Christmas Special and two regular episodes to CBS in late 1988 when the series briefly returned to production. And even stranger, one of these two regular episodes aired early in 1989, while the other one aired in the fall of that year with the season 4 lineup.

** The series almost began life as an adaptation of Louis Sachar's ''[[Literature/WaysideSchool Sideways Stories from Wayside School]]'', with Pee-wee hosting the episodes. In the end, the concept...ahem...[[JustForPun fell by the wayside]], but the ideas that were generated for ''School'' then went over to ''Playhouse''.

** Due to Payl Reubens' passing on July 31, 2023, it can be said that Pee-wee Herman died with him as well.

* TheMerch: Though normally known for die-cast model cars, Matchbox produced a line of 5" figurines and a full-sized Playhouse playset for them[[note]]which Paul Reubens and John Paragon themselves used to block the episodes![[/note]]. The company also produced a talking puppet of Pee-Wee's porcine pal Vance when ''Film/BigTopPeeWee'' came out.
** DoingItForTheArt: Paul didn't want the series to appear MerchandiseDriven, and licensed goods didn't hit shelves until the second season. He set in place many rules for potential licensors, most notably that the toys should be suitable for children of any age.
* ScheduleSlip: There was supposed to be a full 10-episode 3rd season in 1988, but due to conflicts with the WGA Strike and the filming of ''Film/BigTopPeewee'', Creator/PaulReubens could only deliver a Christmas Special and two regular episodes to CBS in late 1988 when the series briefly returned to production. And even stranger, one of these two regular episodes aired early in 1989, while the other one aired in the fall of that year with the season 4 lineup.

* NamesTheSame: The Mr. Kite of ''Pee-wee's Playhouse'' is not the one from Music/TheBeatles' song "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!", though he is named after some 19th century British circus performer named [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Kite William Kite]], whose mention in [[http://www.beatlesagain.com/bkite.html the Pablo Fanque Circus Royal Poster]] became the basis for the song.
** Cool Cat is not to be confused with [[WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes that one]] or [[Film/CoolCatSavesTheKids that cringey one]].

* AllStarCast: The Christmas Special. Its special guests included Music/{{Cher}}, Creator/GraceJones, a very young k.d. lang, Charo, Creator/JoanRivers, Earvin "Magic" Johnson (cousin of Magic Screen), and Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello.

* ScheduleSlip: There was supposed to be a full 10-episode 3rd season in 1988, but due to conflicts with the WGA Strike and the filming of ''Big Top Pee-wee'', Paul Reubens could only deliver a Christmas Special and two regular episodes to CBS in late 1988 when the series briefly returned to production. And even stranger, one of these two regular episodes aired early in 1989, while the other one aired in the fall of that year with the season 4 lineup.
* TheCharacterDiedWithHim: After Phil Hartman was shot and killed by his deranged wife, Paul Reubens decided not to recast him for the new stage show out of respect. All traits of being Miss Yvonne's love interest were given to Cowboy Curtis instead.
* TheOtherDarrin: The King of Cartoons was played by Gilbert Lewis in Season 1 and [[{{Film/Blacula}} William H. Marshall]] in the other four seasons.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: According to an interview with ''Entertainment Weekly'', CBS was interested in doing a sixth season, but Creator/PaulReubens said he felt worn out and wanted to try other things. His infamous 1991 arrest for indecent exposure and lewd conduct in a porno theater in Sarasota, Florida happened mere months later, but contrary to rumors, Reubens and others say that the show getting canceled was because Reubens decided to end the show, not because of the arrest (though the reruns were taken off the air and Pee-wee Herman's mainstream popularity was tarnished, at least for a time).

* AllStarCast: The Christmas Special. Its special guests included Cher, Grace Jones, a very young k.d. lang, Charo, Joan Rivers, Earvin "Magic" Johnson (cousin of Magic Screen), and Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: According to an interview with ''Entertainment Weekly'', CBS was interested in doing a sixth season, but Reubens said he felt worn out and wanted to try other things. His infamous 1991 arrest for indecent exposure and lewd conduct in a porno theater in Sarasota, Florida happened mere months later, but contrary to rumors, Reubens and others say that the show getting canceled was because Reubens decided to end the show, not because of the arrest (though the reruns were taken off the air and Pee-wee Herman's mainstream popularity was tarnished, at least for a time).

* ArtistDisillusionment: In full force during the fourth and fifth seasons, during which time episodes were being structured so that Pee-wee would only be needed to book-end each episode.

* CreatorDisillusionment: In full force during the fourth and fifth seasons, during which time episodes were being structured so that Pee-wee would only be needed to book-end each episode.

* TheMerch: Though normally known for die-cast model cars, Matchbox produced a line of 5" figurines and a full-sized Playhouse playset for them. The company also produced a talking puppet of Pee-Wee's porcine pal Vance when ''Film/BigTopPeeWee'' came out.

* ScheduleSlip: There was supposed to be a full 10-episode 3rd season in 1988, but due to conflicts with the WGA Strike and the filming of ''Big Top Pee-wee'', Paul Reubens could only deliver a Christmas Special and two regular episodes to CBS in late 1988 when the series briefly returned to production. And even stranger, one of these two regular episode aired early in 1989, while the other one aired in the fall of that year with the season 4 lineup.

* OldShame: Apparently, bringing up Cowboy Curtis is a good way to get Creator/LaurenceFishburne to not talk to you.

** The series almost began life as an adaptation of Louis Sachar's ''[[Literature/WaysideShool Sideways Stories from Wayside School]]'', with Pee-wee hosting the episodes. In the end, the concept...ahem...[[JustForPun fell by the wayside]], but the ideas that were generated for ''School'' then went over to ''Playhouse''.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: According to an interview with ''Entertainment Weekly'', CBS was interested in doing a sixth season, but Reubens said he felt worn out and wanted to try other things. His infamous 1991 arrest for indecent exposure and lewd conduct in a porno theater in Sarasota, Florida happened mere months later, but contrary to rumors, Reubens and others say that the show getting canceled was because Reubens decided to end the show, not because of the arrest (though the reruns were taken off the air and Pee Wee Herman's mainstream popularity was tarnished).
** Originally CBS wanted an animated series based on Pee-Wee Herman, but Paul Reubens insisted that it be live-action to fully pay homage to the classic children's shows it was emulating. NBC and Creator/HannaBarbera eventually [[DuelingShows tried and failed to compete]] with their own animated series based on a ''different'' comedy skit about a ManChild character to with ''WesternAnimation/TheCompletelyMentalMisadventuresOfEdGrimley''.
** The series almost began life as an adaptation of Louis Sachar's ''Sideways Stories from Wayside School'', with Pee-Wee hosting the episodes. In the end, the concept...ahem...[[JustForPun fell by the wayside]], but the ideas that were generated for ''School'' then went over to ''Playhouse''.

** Originally CBS wanted an animated series based on Pee-Wee Herman, but Paul Reubens insisted that it be live-action to fully pay homage to the classic children's shows it was emulating. NBC and Creator/HannaBarbara eventually [[DuelingShows tried and failed to compete]] with their own animated series based on a ''different'' comedy skit about a ManChild character to with ''WesternAnimation/TheCompletelyMentalMisadventuresOfEdGrimley''.

** Originally CBS wanted an animated series based on Pee-Wee Herman, but Paul Reubens insisted that it be live-action to fully pay homage to the classic children's shows it was emulating. NBC and Creator/HannahBarbara eventually tried to compete with their own animated series based on a ''different'' comedy skit about a ManChild character to with ''WesternAnimation/TheCompletelyMentalMisadventuresOfEdGrimley''.

** Originally CBS wanted an animated series based on Pee-Wee Herman, but Paul Reubens suggested a live-action kids' show instead. Coincidentally, NBC would do an animated show featuring a ManChild character as [[DuelingShows competition]] to ''Pee-Wee's Playhouse'' (''The Completely Mental Misadventures of Ed Grimley'', featuring Martin Short's spastic, cow-licked optimist from the last two seasons of ''SCTV'' and his only season on ''Saturday Night Live'').

* OldShame: Bringing up Cowboy Curtis is a good way to get Creator/LaurenceFishburne to not talk to you.

* ChannelHop: Started out on CBS, then aired in reruns on [[Creator/ABCFamily Fox Family]] (as part of its afternoon kids' show line-up "The Basement"[[note]]this featured such semi-memorable shows as ''Bad Dog'', ''Saban's WesternAnimation/MonsterFarm'', ''[[ComicBook/AchilleTalon Walter Melon]]'', and ''WesternAnimation/TheThreeFriendsAndJerry''; it was modeled after ''The Zone'' on Canada's Creator/{{YTV}}[[/note]]) and made its rounds on Creator/AdultSwim, where, despite being a live-action show and airing during a time when Cartoon Network abandoned the "cartoons" and aired live-action shows, did find a following with those who remembered the show from their childhood and were now old enough to see and laugh at the risque jokes.

* ChannelHop: Started out on CBS, then aired in reruns on FOX Family (as part of its afternoon kids' show line-up "The Basement"[[note]]this featured such semi-memorable shows as "Bad Dog," "Saban's Monster Farm," "Walter Melon", and "The Three Friends and Jerry Show"[[/note]]) and made its rounds on Creator/AdultSwim, where, despite being a live-action show and airing during a time when Cartoon Network abandoned the "cartoons" and aired live-action shows, did find a following with those who remembered the show from their childhood and were now old enough to see and laugh at the risque jokes.

* HeyItsThatGuy: Creator/LaurenceFishburne as Cowboy Curtis, [[Series/LawAndOrder S. Epatha Merkerson]] as Reba the Mail Lady, [[NYPDBlue Jimmy Smits]] as the Conky Repairman, PhilHartman as Cpt Carl (who played Captain Carl on ''The Pee-Wee Herman Show'' comedy special and appeared on the season 11 ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' episode that Pee-wee Herman hosted as an extra [before becoming a cast member a year later]), Larry "Bud" Melman from David Letterman...
** Not to mention Bernard Fox as Dr. Jinga-Janga, the wish doctor, who tends to Jambi the Genie when he falls sick. This doubles as an ActorAllusion, as Fox's character is alternately a parody and a homage to his role as Dr. Bombay, the witch doctor from ''Series/{{Bewitched}}''.
** John Paragon (Jambi) also had a memorable supporting role in Film/{{UHF}}.
*** He was also one of the two "knights" that Pee-wee asks directions from in Film/PeeWeesBigAdventure.
** The second King of Cartoons is also known as ''Film/{{Blacula}}''.
** This also applies to people working behind the scenes as well. Both [[Film/BoyzNTheHood John Singleton]] and Music/RobZombie worked as production assistants. In addition, many of the animations, such as Penny, the Dinosaur Family, and (maybe) the Toys in the first two seasons, were produced by a pre-''Franchise/WallaceAndGromit'' Creator/AardmanAnimations. Also, Music/CyndiLauper sang the theme song (under an alias and doing a spot-on BettyBoop impression), while Music/MarkMothersbaugh co-composed it. Mothersbaugh, Music/ToddRundgren, Creator/DannyElfman, Music/TheResidents, Dweezil Zappa (Music/FrankZappa's son), Music/GeorgeClinton, and Van Dyke Parks (a frequent collaborator of Music/BrianWilson) also provided incidental music for the show.
** '[[Series/ItsAlwaysSunnyInPhiladelphia Sunny]]'' fans know Miss Yvonne better as Bonnie Kelly, Charlie's mom.
*** She was also the actress playing the Mother Superior in Pee-Wee's Big Adventure.
*** More recently, she also appeared on an episode of ''Series/AustinAndAlly'', as Miss Suzy, Ally Dawson's old teacher and now the proprietor of the restaurant Suzy's Soups.
** Elvis of the Playhouse Gang is Shaun Weiss of MightyDucks and Heavyweights fame, Opal is Natasha Lyonne who later appeared in ''Film/ButImACheerleader'' and now appears as Nicky on ''Series/OrangeIsTheNewBlack'', and Lil' Punkin later became Film/CurlySue and returned to prominence on Series/TheVoice in Season 10.
** Pee-wee's Japanese pen pal Oki Doki, played by Joey Miyashima, later went on to play Principal Matsui in the ''Film/HighSchoolMusical'' series of films.