Reggie Bannister

Birthday: 29 September 1945, Long Beach, California, USA

Birth Name: Reginald Horace Bannister

Height: 173 cm

Musician, Actor, Producer, Screenwriter, Activist - Referred to as "The Hardest Working Man in Horror," Reggie Bannister is known world wide for his starring role as the intrepid ice cream vendor-turned hero in the action-horror series, Phantasm I-IV. His career spans over 40 years in television, film and entertainment with a background that includes writing, acting and music. His most recent projects have been Steven King's "One For the Road" (from the Night Shift Anthology), (2011), "Primitive" (2011), "Abolition" (2011), "The Ghastly Love of Johnny X" (2010) (with the late Kevin McCarthy), "Bloody Bloody Bible Camp" (2010), "Walking Distance (2009)," "Small Town Saturday Night" (2009) (with Chris Pine, John Hawkes, and Muse Watson), and "Satan Hates You" (2009) (with Angus Scrimm).Reggie has released six (6) musical albums which include rock, country and folk and is a veteran of stage and television. Since the '60s he's played with such groups as Stone Country and Greenwood County Singers, as well as many greats such as Red Skelton, Robert Goulet, Bing Crosby, Carol Channing, Sonny and Cher, Stevie Wonder, and many more. He continues to write, play, compose and currently promotes his albums, "Naked Truth," and "Fool's Paradise," with promises of compiling an anthology album of earlier works. Reggie is a sponsored musician of Samick Music/Greg Bennett Guitars, Toadworks USA, and CD Baby. He's even guarding the forces of good on "Transformers Prime" (2011) Episode 10: "Deus Ex Machina."A gifted writer, Reggie has co-authored two scripts and is working on another horror piece. He is the Vice-President of an independent production company with his wife in Southern California, Production Magic, Incorporated. He is a popular guest and speaker at charity events and genre' media conventions. Other film credits include Kenny & Company, Survival Quest, Silent Night, Deadly NightIV: The Initiation, That little Monster, The Demolitionist, Wes Craven's Wishmaster, Carnies and most recently, Dark Path Chronicles. There is currently a move to film Phantasm V, in which Reggie will return to his starring role of "Reggie" in the fifth installment of the series. When asked to what he attributes the popularity of his heroic character, he states, "I think (Reggie) is seen as 'every man's man.' Not pretentious, often flawed, but with a lot of heart and guts. He does the things, and reacts the way, most men feel they would given the same situation." he added, "There's a lot of camp in scenes with Reggie. The humor comes from his being so... human."Reggie is also credited as Assistant Director, Co-Director, Co-Producer, Associate Producer, Producer and is often on the Special Effects Team with his wife, Gigi. Reggie resides in Southern, California, with his wife and two cats and performs music regularly at local events in his mountain community. Hide

Possibly, the real key to what made "Phantasm" what it became was that there were a lot of people ja Show more Possibly, the real key to what made "Phantasm" what it became was that there were a lot of people jamming ideas, what are we gonna do here, I don't know, let's construct something, let's make something. The old "mother of invention". Hide

[About making a fifth Phantasm movie]: Hopefully, we'll get to do one more before everybody croaks. [About making a fifth Phantasm movie]: Hopefully, we'll get to do one more before everybody croaks.

This genre, horror...I've been fascinated with it ever since I was a little kid. And I've tried to f Show more This genre, horror...I've been fascinated with it ever since I was a little kid. And I've tried to figure it out. The people that I've known as fans are extremely bright, intelligent, creative... to call them strange, you'd have to be so locked into the "everyday mundane world" that you couldn't see outside it. These people aren't strange, they're different. And both on an intellectual level and on a social level, they're wonderful folks. I just love'em. Every time I go to anything, and they come up to me and talk to me, I go, jeez, this could be a friend. I like to intellectualize, I like to talk politics, I like to talk spiritualism, I like to talk about things that matter. And so do these people, and we just get along great. Hide

I'm a product basically of the Sixties. I'm a product basically of the Sixties.

I'd get burned out on music and I would turn to acting. I would get burned out on acting and I'd tur Show more I'd get burned out on music and I would turn to acting. I would get burned out on acting and I'd turn to music. Hide

I was drafted into the Army, went to Vietnam, got back, and I felt like I had been robbed of my life Show more I was drafted into the Army, went to Vietnam, got back, and I felt like I had been robbed of my life. Hide

"These movies tickle something dark in people's imaginations. They deal with death -- and that's the Show more "These movies tickle something dark in people's imaginations. They deal with death -- and that's the great unanswerable question." (on the appeal of the "Phantasm" films) Hide

Reggie Bannister's FILMOGRAPHY

as Actor (27)

Phantasm 4: Oblivion

Transformers: Prime - Season 1

The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs - Season 3

Bloody Bloody Bible Camp

L.A. Law - Season 2

The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs - Season 1

Phantasm: Ravager

Transformers: Prime - Season 2

Kenny & Company

L.A. Law - Season 6