Phantasm star Reggie Bannister died at 80 on Sunday, his wife Gigi Bannister has revealed.
At the time of his passing, the actor was with his wife at their cabin in Crestline, which is located in the San Bernardino County mountains in California, she told TMZ.
On Monday, his wife told the outlet that he was ‘happy to be home during his final moments and died peacefully.’
Bannister was in hospice care in recent months amid his battle with Lewy body dementia and Parkinson’s disease prior to his passing.
Per the outlet, she also said he had previously been exposed to Agent Orange, a powerful chemical herbicide and defoliant used by the US military during the Vietnam War while serving in the 1960s.
The toxic pollutant destroyed jungle foliage used for providing cover and wiping out food crops for enemies, but Agent Orange has also been linked to cases of severe long-term health issues and birth defects, according to Veterans Affairs Public Health.
Reggie Bannister, who starred in the classic Phantasm horror film series, died at the age of 80 on Sunday, his wife Gigi Bannister told TMZ on Monday
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 cult classic Phantasm; pictured in 1994 film 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
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.
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