In very sad news, one of horror cinema’s greatest heroes, Reggie Bannister, has opted for home hospice care as his failing health takes a turn for the worse.
The seventy-nine-year-old actor was diagnosed with dementia and Parkinson’s disease in 2016 (per Bloody Disgusting). His condition had remained stable up until last week when he collapsed and was admitted to a VA hospital. His friend, Russell Mauck, posted an update on Bannister’s health the following Friday on his Facebook account.
“My beloved Phantasm Phamily and Phriends,” the post reads. “Most of you know, beloved Reggie Bannister was diagnosed with Dementia and Parkinson’s in June 2016. They were able to stabilize it for these many years. Last Wed, Feb 12, Reg collapsed. His condition had progressed to the next stage. He’s still cognitive, so that’s good, but his body is failing.”
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“As a result,” Mauk continues, “Reggie will be going home from the V.A. soon, for home hospice care. There is no prognosis or time frame. It is his wish to be home and around family, in their little mountain cabin. He’s not suffering, and he’s happy to be going home. We do not know the length of time that they will have together, but are happy to have the time left.”
He added, “We do not know the length of time that they will have together, but are happy to have the time left. Please know how much Reggie and Gigi love their Phans, Phriends, and colleagues. Please send your Thoughts, Prayers, and Positive Energy their way. Feel free to send your cards and letters to them both.”
If anyone would like to send some love to Reggie and his family, Mauck provided an address with a PO Box: “PO Box 4387, Crestline, CA 92325.” Be sure to address all postage to Mr. Reggie Bannister.
Both an Army and Vietnam veteran, Bannister used his GI Bill to study acting. Then he met director Don Coscarelli while playing a guitar gig at some bar in Long Beach, and landed his first role in the 1976 film, Jim the World’s Greatest. This led to Coscarelli casting him as everyone’s favorite trigger-happy ice cream man, Reggie, in the surreal 1979 horror classic, Phantasm.
The movie would become a cult classic that spawned five sequels, endless conjecture over its almost Lynchian plot, and a new race of disciples known as “Phans” who swear an undying (no pun intended) allegiance to The Tall Man, and his diminutive demonic underlings.
Along with those five films, Reggie Bannister was also in Brian Yuzna’s Silent Night, Deadly Night 4: Initiation (1990), Wishmaster (1997), and Bubba Ho-Tep (2002), but he will always be the man blasting at murderous metal spheres with his quadruple-barreled shotgun in the hearts of Phans from all around the world (and quite possibly beyond).
On top of becoming a horror icon, he became a staple at horror conventions and an immediate favorite. Anyone who ever had a chance to meet him will testify to his kindness, gratitude, and approachability.