Actress Lynne Marie Stewart, best known as Miss Yvonne, dies at 78

Actress Lynne Marie Stewart, best know as Miss Yvonne on Pee-Wee's Playhouse, has died at 78.

Before becoming the iconic character, Stewart made several film and television appearances with film credits including Drive, He Said (her debut), American Graffiti, I Wonder Who's Killing Her Now?, Tunnel Vision, I Never Promised You a Rose Garden, Cracking Up, Coming Attractions, and The Last Married Couple in America. TV credits included The F.B.I., Hawaii Five-O, M*A*S*H, Quincy, M.E., Alice, America 2-Night and CHiPs.

After meeting Paul Reubens when they were part of the comedy group The Groundlings in the 1970s, Stewart joined Reubens for the comedy club show The Pee-Wee Herman Show, which was later filmed for HBO, where she took on the character of Miss Yvonne, the most beautiful woman in Puppetland, which led to the classic 1986-1990 Saturday morning children's show on CBS (whereas the HBO version was decidedly not for children).

Prior to Pee-Wee's Playhouse, Stewart's film credits included Pandemonium, Young Doctors in Love, Weekend Pass, Children of a Lesser God, and Jumpin' Jack Flash. Stewart also had a role in Pee-Wee's Big Adventure as Mother Superior. She guested on Madame's Place, One Day at a Time, Laverne & Shirley, The Jeffersons, American Playhouse, The Duck Factory, Dynasty, and Remington Steele.

Besides Pee-Wee's Playhouse and the Pee-Wee Christmas special, Stewart had regular roles on TV series Night Stand, Son of the Beach, Comedy Bang! Bang!, and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, her last credited series. Other TV credits include TV 101, On the Television, Night Court, The Golden Girls, WIOU, Empty Nest, Double Trouble, In the Heat of the Night, Reasonable Doubts, Herman's Head, The Elvira Show, Hope & Gloria, Here Come the Munsters, Dream On, Suddenly Susan, Caroline in the City, The Secret World of Alex Mack, Almost Perfect, Working, The Brian Benben Show, Spin City, The Brothers Garcia, Son of the Beach, According to Jim, Arrested Development, Significant Others, Grey's Anatomy, Curb Your Enthusiasm, State of the Union, Austin & Ally, Good Luck Charlie, Benched, 2 Broke Girls, Go-Go Boy Interrupted, The Cool Kids, and AJ and the Queen.

Stewart lent her voice to many animated series including The Ri¢hie Ri¢h/Scooby-Doo Show, Laverne & Shirley in the Army, A Pup Named Scooby-Doo, Superman, Batman: The Animated Series, Family Dog, The Tick, Life with Louie, One Saturday Morning, Beethoven's 5th, Mike Tyson Mysteries, as well as Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders and Batman vs. Two-Face.

Stewart made appearances in the Pee-Wee Herman movies Big Top Pee-Wee and Pee-Wee's Big Holiday, and the filmed production of the Broadway show The Pee-Wee Herman Show on Broadway. She also appeared in Elvira, Mistress of the Dark with friend Cassandra Peterson.

Stewart's other film credits include Summer School, The Running Man, Moving, Rain Man, Payback, Clear and Present Danger, The Crazysitter, Dunston Checks In, Guinevere, Enough, 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover, Barnyard, Bridesmaids and Sparks. Stewart also appeared on stage in an all-female production of The Odd Couple in 2011 opposite her best friend, Cindy Williams.