Pee-wee Herman’s Big Collection: A Look Inside a Superfan’s Trove
From a single T-shirt to more than 1,200 pieces, one collector’s passion for Pee-wee Herman has grown into something remarkable.
For collectors, the spark often begins with a single moment—and for Leon Scott Baxter of Southern California, that moment came in the summer of 1985. After seeing Pee-wee’s Big Adventure in theaters, Baxter was hooked, drawn to Paul Reubens' character’s playful spirit and love of the absurd. What began with a T-shirt and a few quirky items has since grown into an extensive collection of more than 1,200 pieces. Kovels Antique Trader editor Kele Johnson interviewed Baxter about his impressive collection and the passion behind it.
KAT: When did you first start collecting Pee-wee Herman memorabilia, and what sparked your interest?
Leon Scott Baxter (LSB): I first started collecting Pee-wee Herman items soon after I saw Pee-wee’s Big Adventure in the summer of 1985, after first watching the movie. I watched it every weekend until it left the theater. It ran alongside the Tom Hanks movie The Man with One Red Shoe. Once I saw Pee-wee’s love for toys and his childlike enthusiasm, it resonated with me. I had Cap’n Crunch "Soggies" toys from a cereal box displayed, a giant hotel desk bell. All sorts of silly stuff Pee-wee would have liked, too.
KAT: Do you remember the very first piece you added to your collection? About how many pieces are in your collection today?
LSB: I am pretty sure my first piece was a t-shirt. I feel like it was Andy Warhol-inspired. I think I have about 1,200 items. That sounds like a lot (it is), but that includes cards that came in his fun packs and clothes from his JCPenney line.
KAT: What types of items do you focus on most (toys, promotional items, clothing, screen-used pieces, etc.)?
LSB: I try to get my hands on items from the 1980s, original pieces from Pee-wee’s Big Adventure and Pee-wee’s Playhouse. There are far more Playhouse items than Big Adventure. I will pick up more current items if they are just incredible, like NECA’s hand-painted Jambi, Pee-wee, and Randy.
KAT: Do you display your collection, store it, or a mix of both?
LSB: I used to have my collection in a room before my daughters were born. Afterward, I stored them in boxes. Once both daughters moved out, I converted a room back into the collection room to display my pieces. There’s a “Pee-wee’s Playhouse” sign on the door to the room. When people enter, I play either the show's theme song or the music from Pee-wee's Big Adventure when Pee-wee was making breakfast.
KAT: What is your favorite piece in the collection, and why?
LSB: My favorite piece? That’s tough. It probably depends on when you ask. Often, a new, hard-to-find piece will be my favorite. I have a toddler-sized Chairry that was hard to get, and I love it. I also love the hanging displays that were hanging from ceilings in the Playhouse sections of some JCPenney stores. Just today, I got a miniature handmade Pee-wee action figure on the card made by a very talented artist, Tyler, at Big Adventure Bikes.
KAT: Do you have a very rare or most valuable item?
LSB: I have a numbered lithograph by Herb Ritz that is apparently tough to get your hands on. How’d I get it? I have no memory of where it came from.
KAT: Is there a piece with a particularly interesting story behind how you acquired it? Where do you typically find items—online, at shows, through other collectors?
LSB: I have a very small harmonica I found at a yard sale as a teen that says "Pee Wee” on its little red box. I thought it was cool to have this mini-instrument from the 40’s or 50’s with the character’s name on it. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I learned that Paul Reubens came up with the name Pee-wee from a harmonica brand.
I bought many items early in the 80s. I saw a collector on a TV show called Personal FX: The Collector’s Show in the early 90s. She collected Nightmare Before Christmas, but also had a Pee-wee Herman collection that she was looking to unload. It took a lot of work and a bit of luck, but I tracked her down, and she sold me the collection, doubling what I had collected. Never met her in real life, but we stay in contact and send Christmas cards each year.
Because I am part of some Pee-wee Facebook pages, I keep my eyes open and find a few items. Because I posted my collection on TikTok the day after Reubens passed away, a collector who was downsizing contacted me and sold me some very hard-to-find items. Both of my daughters are very artistic. One made me a Roger (an alien that appeared in a few episodes of Playhouse). There are no Roger action figures. The other caricatured me from a picture of me in high school dressed as Pee-wee Herman.
KAT: What has been the hardest item to track down?
LSB: I am still trying to get my hands on the 40” Pee-wee doll. Not many made.
KAT: Are there still pieces you’re actively searching for?
LSB: As I have mentioned above, looking for the 40” Pee-wee Herman doll. Since the passing of Paul Reubens, many of the 80s items have gone up a lot in price. Also, there seems to be a new market from companies like NECA, Beeline, and Funko capitalizing on the new interest. I ordered a Funko Pop that had Pee-wee holding the secret word, “Fun”, but it was inadvertently upside down. I am trying to convince my daughter to make me a clay Penny.
KAT: Have certain items become more desirable or harder to find?
LSB: I am no longer looking for many of the original toys. I am not sure whether they are harder to find, but I would assume they are.
KAT: What is it about Pee-wee Herman that has kept you collecting for so many years?
LSB: I started my collection in the 80s and put it away in the late 90s. So, busting out my collection in the past few years brought back memories and feelings of my youth.
KAT: Do you have a favorite era—Pee-wee’s Playhouse, the films, or something else? What advice would you give someone just starting to collect Pee-wee Herman memorabilia?
LSB: I have seen each of his films, but have only watched Pee-wee's Big Adventure multiple times. The other films were fun, but didn’t resonate the same as Big Adventure. I think Pee-wee's Playhouse was so incredible, a very different type of programming for children, and parents could enjoy it as well.
For someone just starting, I’d say, “You need to hit a jackpot.” Not the best time to start. Almost all the 80s and 90s stuff is either in collectors’ hands or is super expensive. Truthfully, I’d advise collecting something more current and holding on to it as time goes by.
KAT: Are there any items you think are still undervalued or overlooked?
LSB: I think getting autographs from folks who made Pee-wee Herman shows, or movies, is something people don’t often think about, but the Pee-wee Herman world wouldn’t exist without them: set designers, screenwriters, the other actors, special effects, etc.
KAT: I understand you’re working on recreating Pee-wee’s iconic bike from Pee-wee’s Big Adventure. What inspired you to take on that project?
LSB: I bought the frame and skirt guards while I was in high school and planned to buy more parts when I could, but my items just sat there, collecting dust and rust. Then, my wife bought me some reproductions of items from this guy I had noticed online. It was Tyler Pearce from Big Adventure Bikes. I saw he had made a few of the bikes. So, I reached out, and he said he’d help me get the bike done. I know NOTHING about building bikes, but Tyler has walked me through it all. He finds parts online or creates them, and I purchase them from him.
KAT: How far along are you, and what has the process been like so far?
LSB: I’m definitely making progress, as you can see in the photos. I am hoping to be done by the end of the year, earlier, I pray.
KAT: Are you aiming for a screen-accurate replica, and have any parts been especially difficult to source?
LSB: The actual frame and skirt guards I bought as a teen were not correct. I passed the skirt guards on to someone who could use them, and Tyler made some changes to the frame (cutting and welding) to make it like the original Schwinn DX Cruiser.
KAT: Do you see the bike as the centerpiece of your collection once it’s complete? I have said once the bike is done, my collection is done.
LSB: Yes, there are more items (still want the 40” Pee-wee Herman doll), but I can’t complain. I can’t imagine anyone but Paul Reubens having a more complete collection—believe me, I have looked.
I am working on a game with a partner for Pee-wee Herman fans. If you notice, there is a resemblance between Pee-wee and me. I was him in high school for Halloween. I’ve been dressed as him for student videos. The year Paul Reubens passed away, I dressed up as him again for Halloween at the school where I taught. I was dressed as him at an event a year ago, doing balloon animals only as Pee-wee could. Then, they played Tequila, and I brought out the platform shoes and performed.
When the bike is complete, I would like to take it with me, dressed as Pee-wee (yes, I have the suit, tie, and shoes), and be part of a fundraiser where people can take a photo with “Pee-wee and his bike” for a donation to the cause.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
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