Reggie Bannister, the actor beloved by horror fans for his role in the Phantasm franchise, died Sunday at age 80, his wife, Gigi Bannister, has confirmed.
Bannister was with his wife when he passed away at their cabin in Crestline, a mountain community in California’s San Bernardino County, she told TMZ.
Speaking to the outlet Monday, Gigi said her husband was “happy to be home during his final moments” and died peacefully.
In the months leading up to his death, Bannister had been receiving hospice care while living with Lewy body dementia and Parkinson’s disease.
His wife also told the outlet that Bannister had previously been exposed to Agent Orange, the powerful herbicide and defoliant used by the U.S. military during the Vietnam War, while serving in the 1960s.
Agent Orange was used to strip away jungle cover and destroy enemy food supplies, but the toxic chemical has since been associated with serious long-term health problems and birth defects, according to Veterans Affairs Public Health.
Reggie Bannister, known to generations of horror fans for the Phantasm film series, died Sunday at 80, his wife Gigi Bannister told TMZ on Monday
Bannister appeared in all five Phantasm movies, earning cult status as Reggie, the ice cream vendor who becomes an unlikely action hero in the 1979 original; he is pictured in 1994’s Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead
Just six months earlier, the family of the iconic ’70s horror star launched a GoFundMe to financially support his move into a full-time care facility.
He was previously receiving hospice care at home with his wife Gigi taking care of him, but his family said she had also started having health problems of her own.
Because she no longer had the physical capability to assist the actor, they were asking for financial support.
The GoFundMe page explained that any contributions would help cover ‘overwhelming’ costs of medical bills after Bannister’s health took a ‘difficult turn.’
At the time, his wife Gigi told TMZ that Bannister had lost mobility in his limbs and explained that she was no longer able to lift or move the actor.
Bannister and his wife Gigi met in 1995 after being introduced by actor Michael Berryman, and they tied the knot in 2001.
Bannister is best known for starring in five movies in the Phantasm film franchise.
He played Reggie the ice cream vendor–turned–action hero in the 1979 classic Phantasm, which kicked off the series.
Bannister was in hospice care in recent months amid his battle with Lewy body dementia and Parkinson’s disease prior to his passing; pictured in July 2012
At the time of his passing, the Phantasm star was with his wife at their cabin in Crestline, which is located in the San Bernardino County mountains in California
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The project, which was directed by Don Coscarelli, also starred Michael Baldwin, Bill Thornbury, Kathy Lester and Angus Scrimm.
While Phantasm garnered mixed reviews from critics, the film has become a cult classic over the years.
He went on to reprise his role in the 1988 supernatural horror sequel, Phantasm II.
The horror film star also appeared in Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead (1994), Phantasm IV: Oblivion (1998) and Phantasm: Ravager (2016).
In an interview with Icon Vs. Icon, Bannister reflected on the success of the franchise and how beloved it is.
Just six months earlier, the family of the iconic ’70s horror star launched a GoFundMe to financially support his move into a full-time care facility. He was previously receiving hospice care at home, with his wife caring for him, but his family said she had started having health problems of her own
He starred in five movies in the beloved cult classic film franchise Phantasm; pictured in 1979 Phantasm film
When asked if he knew the film would have such an impact, the actor said: ‘I probably didn’t flash on the reality of it, but I had a gut feeling about it.
‘On the very last day I shot on Phantasm, I had this kind of feeling,’ he continued. ‘What’s funny, at the time acting was just fun and I’d have done it for nothing.’
Bannister also talked about what working on the set of the supernatural horror film had been like.
‘It was fun. For the most part, working with Don is like working with my brother. It’s pretty cool,’ the star said, referring to the movie’s director.
