Paul Reubens, the US actor and creator behind character Pee-Wee Herman, died of cancer on Sunday night.

His publicist revealed in a statement that he'd been struggling with the disease for six years, news which had not been made public at the time.

A post was made to the official Pee-Wee Herman Instagram as part of the announcement, in which a posthumous statement from Reubens was included. "Please accept my apology for not going public with what I've been facing the last six years," it read, addressing his fans. "I have loved you all so much and enjoyed making art for you."

The caption continued on his behalf: "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. Paul bravely and privately fought cancer for years with his trademark tenacity and wit."

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Reubens' career began in the late seventies when he created the character of Pee-Wee Herman as part of an improv group in Los Angeles. Characterized by his white loafers, too-small grey suit and bright red bow tie, Pee-Wee was a hit, and Reubens found his career skyrocketing.

In 1981, the actor debuted the live Pee-Wee Herman Show, finding great success and even getting an HBO special airing of the performance.

His 1985 film Pee-Wee's Big Adventure was directed by Tim Burton and co-written by Phil Hartman of Saturday Night Live. It paved the way for his character becoming a household name, the film gathering a cult following for its quirky whimsy.

But it was arguably his Saturday-morning TV series, Pee-Wee's Playhouse, that cemented him as an iconic character and comedian. Running for five seasons and collecting 22 Emmy awards, the show was silly and subversive and found viewership in both children and adults alike.