Reuters -"Pee-wee's Playhouse" is returning to television.
Adult Swim, Cartoon Network's late-night sister network, said Monday that it has acquired rights to all 45 half-hour episodes of the series, along with "Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special." It plans to air the show at 11 p.m. Monday-Thursday starting July 10.
Adult Swim said many of the episodes have not aired on TV since the original 1986-91 run of "Pee-wee's Playhouse" on CBS' Saturday morning schedule. Pee-wee Herman alter ego Paul Reubens' career was derailed in 1991 when he was arrested for indecent exposure at a Florida porn movie theater.
The show features Pee-wee Herman welcoming various characters to his playhouse. Among the cast members are Phil Hartman, Laurence Fishburne, S. Epatha Merkerson and Natasha Lyonne.
"I'd say this was a dream come true, but I never dared to dream the 'Playhouse' would join Adult Swim's amazing lineup of cool shows!" Reubens said. "Well, maybe I did dream of it a couple of times. OK, it's a dream come true!"
"Pee-wee's Playhouse" won 22 Emmys during its original run. A complete DVD set was released in 2004.