Stephen R. Johnson was a director best known for his work on the first season of the absurdist children’s comedy Pee-wee’s Playhouse. In 1987 his pioneering work was acknowledged with a nomination for a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing in Children's Programming.
The popular show, which ran for five seasons and starred Paul Reubens as wacky Pee-wee Herman, featured his weird and wonderful playhouse where anything could happen.
Stephen R. Johnson was a director best known for his work on the first season of the absurdist children’s comedy Pee-wee’s Playhouse. In 1987 his pioneering work was acknowledged with a nomination for a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing in Children's Programming.
The popular show, which ran for five seasons and starred Paul Reubens as wacky Pee-wee Herman, featured his weird and wonderful playhouse where anything could happen.
Johnson also directed commercials and music videos, three of which were for British singer Peter Gabriel. He won a Grammy Award for directing Gabriel’s “Steam” and nine MTV awards for directing “Sledgehammer.” He also directed Talking Heads’ video for "Road to Nowhere.”
Johnson died on January 26, 2015, in Fort Scott, Kansas. He was 62.
The Television Academy database lists prime-time Emmy information. Click here to learn more