Comedian and actor Paul Reubens grew up in Sarasota, Florida, the winter home of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus. After graduation, he moved to Hollywood and joined the Groundlings comedy troupe. Along with fellow Groundlings member Phil Hartman, he developed the funny but geeky man-child alter ego of Pee-Wee Herman in 1978, inspired by the fun of the circus and the slapstick comedy of the 1950s kids TV show hosted by Pinky Lee.