John Paragon facts for kids

John Dixon Paragon (born December 9, 1954 – died April 3, 2021) was a talented American actor, writer, and director. He is best known for his amazing work on the popular children's TV show Pee-wee's Playhouse. On the show, he played the magical Jambi the Genie and also voiced the friendly dinosaur Pterri the Pterodactyl. John Paragon also helped write and direct many episodes of the show.

Early Life

John Paragon was born in Anchorage, Alaska, on December 9, 1954. He grew up and went to school in Fort Collins, Colorado, and graduated from Fort Collins High School.

Career

John Paragon began his career in Los Angeles with an improvisation group called The Groundlings. This group was like a comedy team that made up scenes and stories on the spot! He worked alongside other famous actors like Paul Reubens (who played Pee-wee Herman) and Phil Hartman.

His most famous role was playing Jambi the Genie on Pee-wee's Playhouse. Jambi was a blue-faced genie who lived in a box and granted wishes. John also provided the voice for Pterri the Pterodactyl, one of Pee-wee's dinosaur friends. Besides acting, John Paragon helped write many episodes of Pee-wee's Playhouse. He even co-wrote the Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special in 1988 with Paul Reubens. For their great writing, they were nominated for an Emmy Award!

John Paragon also worked with Cassandra Peterson, who is famous for playing Elvira, Mistress of the Dark. He played a funny character called The Breather, who was an annoying caller on her first TV show. He also appeared with Elvira at Knott's Scary Farm, a popular theme park event.

He even worked with Walt Disney Imagineering, the creative team behind Disney parks. He helped figure out how to use live improvisation in Disney attractions. For example, he played the "keeper" of Lucky the Dinosaur during tests of this amazing robot dinosaur.

Later in his career, John Paragon returned to his role as Jambi the Genie for the Pee-wee Herman stage show on Broadway. The show opened in New York City on October 26, 2010.

John Paragon appeared in many other films and TV shows throughout his career. Some of his film roles included Pee-wee's Big Adventure and Elvira: Mistress of the Dark. On television, he had guest roles in popular shows like Cheers and Seinfeld, and he also directed episodes of shows like Renegade and Silk Stalkings.

Death

John Paragon passed away on April 3, 2021, at his home in Palm Springs, California. He was 66 years old. News of his death was shared with the public a few months later, on June 18, 2021. He was cremated, and his ashes were later placed at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery on November 15, 2022. His special urn is shaped like the purple-and-gold Jambi the Genie box.