Pee-wee’s Big Adventure fans can now feel like a loner and a rebel as a notable film prop makes it public debut at the Alamo.
The original screen-used stunt bicycle from director Tim Burton‘s popular comedy was unveiled Saturday at the historic fort in San Antonio, Texas. The bike’s debut took place on the 40th anniversary of Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, which Warner Bros. released in theaters Aug. 9, 1985.
This bike, which the Alamo acquired earlier this summer, is central to the plot of the Paul Reubens-starring movie, in which the comedian’s character, Pee-wee Herman, sets out on a journey to track down his stolen red-and-white Schwinn that leads him to the Alamo. Pee-wee’s Big Adventure collected $40 million ($122 million today) and became a cult classic that spawned two sequels. People reported in May that the bike sold at auction for $125,000.
Pee-wee’s bike will be on view inside the Alamo’s Ralston Family Collection Center as part of a temporary exhibit celebrating the fort’s cultural impact. It will eventually make its way to the forthcoming Alamo Visitor Center and Museum that is slated to open in 2027.
“We are thrilled to add this beloved piece of film history to our collection,” Alamo Trust, Inc. executive director Dr. Kate Rogers said in a previously released statement. “The Alamo holds a special place in the hearts of people everywhere, and Pee-wee’s Big Adventure helped to introduce a new generation to the historic site.”
Elizabeth Daily, who co-starred in the film as love interest Dottie, previously told The Hollywood Reporter that she frequently exchanges lines with fans: “Guys will tell me, ‘I’m a rebel, Dottie.’ And I’ll ask them to the drive-in.”
