Lynne Marie Stewart, best known for her role as Miss Yvonne on Pee-Wee’s Playhouse, has passed away at the age of 78.
Stewart’s longtime friend and Elvira: Mistress of the Dark co-star Cassandra Peterson mourned the loss on Instagram, writing, “One of the kindest, sweetest, funniest women who ever lived. The iconic Miss Yvonne of Pee-wee’s Playhouse: She’ll always be ‘the most beautiful woman in Puppetland.’ 💔.”
Stewart played Miss Yvonne—the self-proclaimed “most beautiful woman in Puppetland”—on Pee-Wee’s Playhouse from 1986 to 1990, appearing in various spin-offs of the beloved children’s show.
A Legacy in Comedy
A cause of death has not been disclosed.
Stewart was a longtime collaborator of Pee-Wee’s Playhouse creator and star Paul Reubens, who passed away in July 2023. The two first met in the 1970s as members of the legendary Los Angeles improv troupe The Groundlings.
Shortly before Reubens’ death, Stewart had the opportunity to visit him in the hospital.
“I got to be in the hospital with him,” she told People in July 2023. “He said, ‘I have loved deeply, and I’ve been loved in return.’ I said, ‘Paul, you’re loved all over the world.’ And I was so glad to be able to tell him that.”
Stewart fondly recalled Reubens’ sense of humor even in his final moments.
“He was funny to the end,” she shared. “I said to him, ‘You fulfilled a little girl’s dream.’ He was like, ‘Oh, do I have to hear this story again?’ And so he never lost it. He never lost his sense of humor.”
Tributes Pour In
Many of Stewart’s friends and colleagues took to social media to remember her warmth, humor, and kindness.
“Our dear sweet friend, the great Lynne Stewart passed away today,” Somebody Feed Phil creator Phil Rosenthal wrote on Instagram. “Lynne was always charming, wonderful, even magical—funny and bawdy as hell and sweet to everyone, especially the kids, who adored her.”
Actor Drew Powell also shared his condolences, writing, “Lynne Marie Stewart was just the kindest, most affirming, most supportive person I’ve come across. Always in my corner. Always beaming with positivity and love. What a legacy she leaves. We will miss her very much… Farewell Miss Yvonne. You’re the most beautiful woman in Puppetland, inside and out!”
With a career spanning decades, from Pee-Wee’s Playhouse to It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Stewart leaves behind a lasting legacy in comedy and television.