Reginald Horace Bannister[1] (born September 29, 1945) is an American musician, actor, producer, writer, and activist. He is known for his role as Reggie in the Phantasm film series.
Reggie Bannister | |
|---|---|
 Bannister in 2015 | |
| Born | Reginald Horace Bannister September 29, 1945 Long Beach, California, U.S. |
| Occupations | Actor, musician, screenwriter, activist, film producer, make-up artist, composer |
| Spouses | Susan McDonald Akalski
(m. 1981; div. 1987)Gayle Bannister
(m. 1988; div. 1997)Gigi Fast Elk Porter
(m. 2001) |
| Website | reggiebannister |
Career
editBannister is known for playing the gun-toting, ex-ice cream man Reggie in the Phantasm film series directed by Don Coscarelli. Bannister co-starred in the films alongside A. Michael Baldwin, Bill Thornbury, and Angus Scrimm.[2][3]
Bannister has appeared in several films and worked with such notables as Ossie Davis, Bruce Campbell[4] and Andy Griffith.[5]
Bannister played Herb Tooklander in the adaption of One for the Road, a short film sequel to Stephen King’s Salem's Lot, which he co-produced with director Tim Sullivan and writer/director Paul Ward. The film also stars Adam Robitel and Audrey Walters.
In 2012, Bannister and his wife, Gigi, collaborated with co-writer Shelby McIntyre and co-writer/director Vito Trabucco on the comedy horror film Bloody Bloody Bible Camp. Bannister asked Tim Sullivan to co-produce and star in the film as the main villain, Sister Mary Chopper, and Sullivan accepted.
Bannister composed the song "Have You Seen It" for Phantasm IV: Oblivion, and arranged "Sittin' Here at Midnight" with Bill Thornbury for Phantasm.
Personal life
editReggie Bannister is a U.S. military veteran who served in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. In an interview, Bannister stated, "Getting back to the Vietnam thing. I was not for that war, I was against it, but there was this thing called the draft. I had friends who were going to Canada and I wasn't going to do that, I stand up to what's in front of me, and so just like anything else, I just thought, 'Soldier? Really? You're gonna be a soldier? Okay, well then you're going to be the baddest-ass soldier that ever put on a uniform.' So I just took that attitude, Landon, and just went for it. I was a head radio operator for an automatic weapons specialty group."[6]
While in the service he was often around .40 and .50 caliber weapons, ultimately resulting in some hearing loss. Because of this, he is a service-connected disabled veteran, on top of which he was exposed to Agent Orange. Bannister took his GI bill from the military and used it to study acting.[6]
Bannister resides in Crestline, California, where he lives with his wife.[7]
In 2016, he was diagnosed with dementia and Parkinson's disease.[8]
On February 21, 2025, it was announced that Bannister's health was deteriorating and that he was going to begin receiving hospice care at his home in Crestline.[7]
Filmography
edit- Kenny & Company (1976) – Donovan
- Jim the World's Greatest (1976) – O.D. Silengsly
- Phantasm (1979) – Reggie
- Phantasm II (1988) – Reggie
- Survival Quest (1989) – Pilot
- Silent Night, Deadly Night 4: Initiation (1990) – Eli
- That Little Monster (1994) – Twelvetrees
- Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead (1993) – Reggie
- The Demolitionist (1995) - Warden Thomas
- Wishmaster (1997) – Pharmacist
- Phantasm IV: Oblivion (1998) – Reggie
- Up Against Amanda (2000) – Lead Guitar Ted
- Bubba Ho-Tep (2002) – Care Home Administrator
- Cemetery Gates (2004) – Belmont
- Journeyman (2005) – McFearson
- The Mangler Reborn (2005) – Rick
- Last Rites (2006) – Mitchell
- Fallen Angels (2006) – Radar
- The Final Curtain (2007) – Gus[9]
- The Rage (2007) – Uncle Ben
- Text (2008) – Reggie
- Metal Man (2008) - Dr. Arthur Blake
- The Quiet Ones (2008) – Mr. Martino
- Small Town Saturday Night (2008) – Victor
- Satan Hates You (2009) – Mickey
- Walking Distance (2009) – Webber
- Carnies (2009) – Detective Conrad Ellison
- Sawblade (2010)
- One for the Road (2011) – Herb Tooklander
- Primitive (2011) – Dr. Stein
- Not Another B Movie (2011) – Umpire
- The Ghastly Love of Johnny X (2012) – King Clayton
- Bloody Bloody Bible Camp (2012) – Father Richard Cummings
- Phantasm: Ravager (2016) – Reggie
- The Obsidian Curse (2016) – Professor Reginald M. Sydow
- Bonejangles (2017) – Edgar Sr.
Other work
edit- Making of 'Bubba Ho-Tep (2004)
- Phantasmagoria (2005)
- Phantasmagorical Mystery Tour (2005)
- Working with a Master: Don Coscarelli (2006)
- POV: An Actor's Insight (2009)
References
edit- ↑ According to the State of California's "Birth Index, 1905–1995". Center for Health Statistics, California Department of Health Services, Sacramento, California
- ↑ McIntyre, Gina (October 16, 2009). "Happy Birthday, Tall Man! 'Phantasm' Turns 30". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 10, 2013.
- ↑ Savlov, Marc (March 31, 2000). "Spheres of Influence". Austin Chronicle. Retrieved August 12, 2013.
- ↑ Staff (June 11, 2002). "CINEVEGAS: A Look At BUBBA HOTEP!!!". Ain't It Cool News.
- ↑ Staff (November 20, 2000). "QUINT interviews REGGIE BANNISTER Part 1!!!And Here's Part II". Ain't It Cool News.
- 1 2 Evanson, Landon (February 14, 2017). "An Interview with 'Phantasm's' Reggie Bannister". Horror Geek Life.
- 1 2 DiVincenzo, Alex (February 21, 2025). "'Phantasm' Star Reggie Bannister Enters Hospice Care; Fans Can Send Cards & Letters to This Address". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved February 21, 2025.
- ↑ Wright, William J. (February 24, 2025). ""PHANTASM" STAR REGGIE BANNISTER NEEDS YOUR WELL-WISHES". Rue Morgue.
- ↑ André Loiselle and Jeremy Maron Stages of Reality: Theatricality in Cinema, p. 105, at Google Books
External links
edit- Official website at the Wayback Machine (archived June 16, 2017)
- Reggie Bannister at IMDb