John Paragon Mysterious Cause of Death:'Pee-wee's Playhouse' Actor Passed Away 2 Months Ago
Actor John Paragon, famously known for playing the role of Jambie the Genie on "Pee-wee's Playhouse," died from an unknown cause at the age of 66.
According to a Riverside County Coroner, reported by TMZ, the actor died two months ago, and his cause of death remains a mystery.
Born John Dixon Paragon, the actor had spent his early days in Alaska then moved to Fort Collins, Colorado, where he studied.
Per IMDb, the Emmy-nominated actor rose to fame in the improvisation group called "The Groundlings" alongside known personalities such as Paul Reubens and Phil Hartman.
Children dearly loved Paragon as he appeared on various kids programs throughout his career, especially his role as a genie and voicing Pterri the Pterodactyl in "Pee-wee's Playhouse.
"Besides acting on the show, he also co-wrote a Christmas special alongside Paul Reubens, where they got an Emmy nomination for Best Writing in Children's Special.
He then went on to dominate the film and TV industry as he appeared in numerous shows such as "Movie Macabre" as an annoying caller, "Seinfeld" as a gay man with a partner, "The Frog Prince," and "Eating Raoul."
Paragon also appeared in the 1986 film "Echo Park" and also co-wrote the ever-popular "Elvira, Mistress of the Dark."
Before his death, he worked with Walt Disney Imagineering to teach improvisational methods for the performances in their amusement parks. His latest acting stint was at the Broadway show "Pe-wee Herman" in 2010 at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre.
Fans paid tribute
Following the devastating news, fans took to social media to send their deepest condolences and pay tribute to the late actor.
Rest in peace, John Paragon. So memorable as Jambi the Genie on Pee-wee's Playhouse, and unforgettable as the wimpy Richard Fletcher in UHF. pic.twitter.com/fsGRVHa8zg
— Boner Vivant (@Doug_Tilley) June 17, 2021
"Just heard @groundlings legend & bud John Paragon passed. I can't describe how brilliant he was at that theater. Jambi, Ramon, Happy Joe, The Breather, the list goes on and on." one user wrote.
"So very sorry to hear that John Paragon has died. From Paragon of Comedy, UHF, Pee Wee, Elvira and even the Barbarian Bros he was an essential part of so many pieces of my formative comedy brain. The few times I spoke with him he was incredibly nice and charming." another one wrote.
At the time of this writing, no further news about the actor's cause of death has been reported.
