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Pee-wee’s Playhouse actor John Paragon has died, TMZ reports. Paragon, who was 66 years old at the time of his death, was best known for his role as Jambi the Genie, the character who would appear when Pee-wee Herman made a wish. While news of Paragon’s death first broke yesterday, the Riverside County Coroner told TMZ the actor died in April of unknown causes.
Paragon, who also played Pterri the Pterodactyl and wrote multiple episodes of Pee-wee’s Playhouse, first got his start in improv comedy while at The Groundlings, where he practiced alongside classmates like Paul Reubens, Phil Hartman and Cassandra Peterson, per The Wrap. His first TV appearance came in 1980, when he joined The Pee-wee Herman Show. Six years later, he starred in Pee-wee’s Playhouse, which debuted on CBS in 1986 and ran through 1990.
In addition to his acting career, Paragon was also an accomplished writer, earning an Emmy nomination for Best Writing in a Children’s Special for his work on 1988’s Pee-wee’s Playhouse Christmas Special, which he co-wrote with Reubens.
Throughout his career, Paragon appeared in multiple TV shows, including Cheers, Seinfeld, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Movie Macabre, Sledge Hammer!, Night Stand, Pacific Blue, and more. His film credits include Echo Park, Honey I Blew Up the Kid, Airplane II: The Sequel, The Frog Prince, and Red Riding Hood.
In 2010, Paragon reprised his role as Jambi the Genie when the Pee-wee Herman Show returned to Broadway at the Stephen Sondheim Theater. His most recent credit is listed on IMDb as 2016’s Pee-wee’s Big Holiday, in which he played the TV cameraman.
According to Paragon’s Groundlings bio, he most recently worked with Walt Disney Imagineering, helping the company come up with ways to include improv performances in the attractions at Disney theme parks.
