Reggie Bannister

Reginald Horace Bannister (September 29, 1945 – August 9, 2026) was an American musician, actor, producer, and writer. He is known for his role as Reggie in the Phantasm film series.

Career Bannister 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.

He appeared in several films and worked with such notables as Ossie Davis, Bruce Campbell and Andy Griffith.

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.

He composed the song "Have You Seen It" for Phantasm IV: Oblivion, and arranged "Sittin' Here at Midnight" with Bill Thornbury for Phantasm.

Personal life and death Bannister was 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."

While in the service, Bannister was often around .30- and .50-caliber weapons, ultimately resulting in some hearing loss. Because of this, he was 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. He died on August 9, 2026, at his Crestline cabin at the age of 80.

Filmography

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 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) – Malcom 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 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)