Pee-wee's Big Adventure dinosaur gets a sweet makeover in honor of Paul Reubens
Paul Reubens is being remembered by one of his biggest (literally) costars: the Tyrannosaurus Rex sculpture from the 1985 film Pee-wee's Big Adventure.
On Wednesday, the owners of Cabazon Dinosaurs in Southern California posted a collection of photos on social media that feature the massive Mr. Rex sporting a brand new makeover in honor of the late actor, who died at 70 following a private six-year battle with cancer.
In the snapshots, the dinosaur can be seen wearing Pee-wee's signature gray suit and red bow tie. A heart has also been painted on the reptile's chest with Pee-wee's name written underneath it. The tribute will run from now until Oct. 30, according to the park's Instagram account.
Pee-wee, accompanied by his friend Simone (Diane Salinger), visits Mr. Rex while on his cross-country journey to retrieve his stolen bicycle from the Alamo's basement. Along the way, Pee-wee and Simone share a sweet moment as they sit in Mr. Rex's mouth and watch the sunrise together.
However, the experience is ruined when Simone's boyfriend Andy (Jon Harris), armed with a comically large dinosaur bone, discovers the pair together and begins to chase Pee-wee throughout the theme park. Pee-wee barely escapes Andy's wrath by hopping aboard a moving train and continuing on his quest.
Denise Kanter, owner of Cabazon Dinosaurs, told the Palm Springs Desert Sun that the wave of outreach following Reubens' death inspired the park to pay tribute to the actor.
"When someone passes away, you have to be considerate of how you approach that situation," she explained to the outlet. "I was thinking, 'Well, what do we do? Do we (do) something or don't do something?' Then I felt with requests coming from customers and interest on behalf of news organizations, we must do something."
She noted that, to this day, attendees still recall the film when they visit. "They know the movie, the dinosaurs, and they'll comment, 'We love Pee-wee's Big Adventure."
Representatives for Rubens announced his death on Monday and shared a posthumous message from the actor. "Please accept my apology for not going public with what I've been facing the last six years," Reubens wrote. "I have always felt a huge amount of love and respect from my friends, fans, and supporters. I have loved you all so much and enjoyed making art for you."
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