Remembering Reggie Bannister (1945–2026)

[claws]

The horror community has lost a true legend with the passing of Reggie Bannister at the age of 80. Best known and loved globally as the shotgun-toting, ice-cream-man-turned-hero Reggie in Don Coscarelli's iconic Phantasm franchise, he brought immense charm, grit, and heart to independent genre cinema. Beyond his unforgettable work on screen, he was also a talented musician, writer, and a cherished presence among fans. Rest in peace, Reg, thanks for all the memories and for showing us how to properly face the Tall Man.

[Trevor]

The horror community has lost a true legend with the passing of Reggie Bannister at the age of 80. Best known and loved globally as the shotgun-toting, ice-cream-man-turned-hero Reggie in Don Coscarelli's iconic Phantasm franchise, he brought immense charm, grit, and heart to independent genre cinema. Beyond his unforgettable work on screen, he was also a talented musician, writer, and a cherished presence among fans. Rest in peace, Reg, thanks for all the memories and for showing us how to properly face the Tall Man.

Very sad news.

I remember sneaking in to see PHANTASM at our home town cinema in early 1980 to see it.  The cinema owner knew my folks and I just had to wait until the lights went down, sat at the back and later had a few nightmares about closing mirrored cupboard doors and seeing someone standing behind me.

I never knew that he was a veteran of the Vietnam War. Makes me like him even more.

RIP Reggie. 😢❤️🌹❤️

[Alex]

Sad news. I know he'd been in hospice care for a while. It was a shame that his family had to ask for donations to help support him in his final days.