Beth Maitland, widely recognized for her portrayal of Traci Abbott on the American CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless, has captivated audiences for decades. Since 1982, Maitland has brought Traci to life, initially intended as a short-term role. However, Maitland impressed the series' producers and was placed on contract, remaining until 1996. Since 2006, Maitland has remained on a recurring status with the soap opera. Her journey extends beyond the screen, encompassing personal growth, career milestones, and profound connections. This article delves into Maitland's story, exploring her experiences with weight loss, her celebrated career, and the enduring relationships she has cultivated along the way.
Early Days and the Pursuit of Acting
Hailing from Rapid City, South Dakota, Beth and her family relocated to Scottsdale, Arizona, when she was seven. It seems that the acting profession attracted the young Beth from an early age. After attending Arizona State University, Beth moved to Los Angeles. There, she worked tirelessly to kickstart her acting career. But it wasn’t a walk in the park - she had to work in nightclubs and struggled with low self-esteem. ”I always wanted to be an actress, but because of my weight I had trouble finding parts to play,” she explained.
Confronting Weight and Body Image
Weight has almost always been a companion in Beth’s life. During a period in Los Angeles, Beth had feeling of uselessness and depression. It went so far that she began starving herself. In just one month, she lost 25 pounds. ”I scared myself sick”, she said. As a young, aspiring actress, she was always on a diet - but most often overweight. After some time in the City of Angels, she landed a casting office job. At that time, it looked like Beth might have to work behind the camera. But soon, things would change. Through a friend, she heard about the role of Traci. The Young and Restless‘ casting director was actively seeking a young, overweight, shy, and insecure woman.
Maitland's journey with weight loss is a significant part of her story. Early in her career, she faced criticism and pressure to conform to conventional beauty standards. One particular incident stands out: "I was looking for a commercial agent and was told by four different agents in one office that they were very interested in me because I’m on a soap and have a sort-of high profile but… The first thing out of their mouths was, ‘You’re overweight, you realize you’re completely un-commercial and we can’t sell you at all. Until you lose weight we’ll have a terrible problem with you.’ Well, how can you say this to a person who’s making a sizeable living doing what she’s always wanted to do? What do you mean, I can’t get work? I’m working!"
The Schick Center Commercial
Ironically, Maitland received her Screen Actors Guild card as a result of commercial work - for a weight-loss ad. In a fairly recent interview, Beth talked about her weight loss journey and when she made a decision that she will never forget. “A friend got me an audition for a non-union commercial for the Schick Center, which was a weight-loss clinic that used aversion shock treatment to help people lose weight,” Beth told Soap Opera Digest. “Here I was, a 20-year-old hoping to break into show business, and I found myself in full-page ads in the L.A. The ad campaign proved to be a major learning experience for the beloved actress. “First of all, it prepared me for the future [Young & Restless] storylines of bulimia, diet pill addiction and bullying that Traci would soon face,” Maitland says. “And secondly, I learned to think through my choices. Now, with age and wisdom on her side, Beth is more secure and confident. But the true wisdom she gained from her weight-loss commercial is better understanding of body image.
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Traci's Transformation on "The Young and the Restless"
”I’ve learned a lot from Traci. Being thin isn’t everything. As part of the role, Beth needed to to lose weight. When joining The Young and Restless, Traci was portrayed as a dowdy, dumpy, downcast teenager. However, her character soon transformed. Traci evolved from what some tabloids dubbed an “ugly duckling” into a graceful swan. At that time, Beth described it as a dream come true. ”When the story involving Traci’s weight loss developed, it was icing on the cake,” she told The Daily News Leader in 1984. Beth received professional assistance from a nutritionist and successfully shed 40 pounds. This not only improved her physical well-being but also contributed significantly to her overall sense of happiness. The latter is, as known, not entirely unimportant.
Embracing the Role of Traci Abbott
Beth Maitland's portrayal of Traci Abbott has resonated with audiences for over four decades. She stayed with the show on from June 17, 1982, to June 4, 1987, and from November 1987 to December 1989, September 1990 to June 1993, making guest appearances in December 1993, February to August 1994, February to April 1995, and April to May 1996. She reappeared in 1999, 2001 through 2002, and since 2006 on a recurring basis.
Traci's Storylines and Relationships
Traci was known for her relationship with Danny Romalotti and her marriages to Brad Carlton, with whom she had a daughter, Colleen. Both relationships caused a notable rivalry with Lauren Fenmore.
Like many of Genoa City's privileged youth, Traci Abbott attended boarding school until her return home in 1982. She had low self-esteem because she was overweight, and her older sister, Ashley Abbott, was more glamorous and successful than she was. Traci became the president of rocker Danny Romalotti's (Michael Damian) fan club, and she decided to attend college locally at Genoa City University to be near him. She became a singer in Danny's band, and she fought for his attention with Lauren Fenmore (Tracey E. Bregman). In addition, Traci's mother, Dina, returned to town for the first time since she left Traci as an infant. The stress caused Traci to become conscious of her weight, and Lauren exploited her to get Danny's attention. Traci became addicted to diet pills while in college, and she would often sing (to the melody of "Turn to Stone" by the Electric Light Orchestra), "I turn to pills, when I'm feeling ill, I turn to pills". Her addiction culminated when she found out that Danny and Lauren were engaged. She got high, crashed her car and sustained serious heart damage. Then, Traci began seeing her college professor, Tim Sullivan. When she found him in bed with another student, she became suicidal. She tried to kill herself, but Christine "Cricket" Blair (Lauralee Bell) saved her. Traci then found out that she was pregnant with Tim's child, and Danny Romalotti wanted to marry her to give the baby a family. They married in 1984, but Danny's former flame, Patty Williams (then played by Andrea Evans), was angry because Traci stole Danny. She pushed Traci down a flight of stairs, causing her to miscarry. Traci decided to annul her marriage to Danny, and Patty left town shortly after.
Traci then got involved with groundskeeper Brad Carlton (Don Diamont). The two were quickly married in 1986, but Brad chose his budding career over his wife. During their separation, Brad had an affair with Lauren Fenmore, and Traci reconnected with Tim Sullivan. Still, Brad ended his romance with Lauren when Traci came home. To keep her in Genoa City, he agreed to have a baby with her. When Traci found out she was pregnant again, Brad's insane ex-wife, Lisa Mansfield, kidnapped Brad, and she tried to make Traci believe that Brad didn't love her anymore. Lisa's scheme caused Traci to have a second miscarriage. When Brad was freed, he worked to win Traci's heart, but instead, Ashley Abbott worked her magic, and she stole Brad from her younger sister. Thus, Traci and Brad divorced in 1989. She went on to write two best-selling books, Echoes of the Past and Epitaph for a Lover.
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Ashley eventually left Brad for Victor Newman (Eric Braeden). Brad spontaneously married Cassandra Rawlins, and he inherited her fortune when she died in a car accident. He then returned to Traci, and they were remarried in 1991. Traci was pregnant again soon after, and she kept the secret from everyone except her father because she wanted Brad to love her without obligations to their child. Soon, Brad grew close to Ashley again when her marriage to Victor fell apart. Still, Traci finally told Brad about their child, he refused to let her raise their child alone. Traci gave birth to Colleen Carlton in 1992. Colleen's birth did not help Brad and Traci's failing marriage, and they divorced later that year. Traci's publisher, Steve Connelly, moved to Genoa City, and the two soon began a romance. Brad became jealous, but he realized that Traci was truly happy. In 1994, Traci visited Brad at the hospital when he had a heart attack. Before leaving town, she got into a heated argument with Lauren Fenmore, whom she blamed for Brad's heart attack. In 1996, Traci returned to Genoa City when her father considered remarrying her mother, Dina Mergeron.
In 2001, Traci came home after she learned that Steve cheated on her. At first, Colleen did not believe her mother, but she turned on Steve when she learned the truth. Traci became close to Brad during her stay at home, but he was married to Ashley at the time. Traci decided to forgive Steve and work on their marriage, but Colleen became disgusted with her mother's "almost-reunion" with Brad. She rebelled against Traci and Steve until she was expelled from school for smoking marijuana. Then, Traci decided to send Colleen to Genoa City to live with her grandfather John Abbott.
In 2006, John Abbott had a stroke, and Traci rushed to his bedside. John died soon after from complications from the stroke, and Traci truly began to see the hardships that her family faced while she was away. John's widow, Gloria Abbott (Judith Chapman), was hated by all of John's children. In 2007, Colleen was trapped in a burning building that was set on fire by Kevin Fisher (Greg Rikaart). Traci rushed to support her daughter, and she also reconnected with her sister, Ashley. Traci returned later that year when Jack dealt with the fallout from a fraud scandal. The next year, Traci was present at the Jabot Cosmetics annual stockholders meeting. She offered her support to Brad in his bid for CEO of the company, but Cane Ashby (Daniel Goddard) was appointed CEO in a turn of events. Several months later, Traci came home to attend the "funeral" of Katherine Chancellor (Jeanne Cooper). In reality, Katherine's doppelganger, Marge Cotrooke, had died. At the funeral, Traci ran into her mother, Dina, and the two argued about Dina's lacking role in Colleen's life. In addition, Lauren Fenmore apologized for the way she had treated Traci those many years ago. Traci went back to New York, but she returned again at Christmas to visit Colleen. She also shared a touching moment with Brad, and he called her "the one who got away." Several days later, Brad tragically drowned after he saved Noah Newman from a frozen pond.
Colleen was kidnapped by Patty Williams. Upon escaping, she fell into a lake, and she almost drowned. She was rushed to the hospital, only to be declared braindead. Patty shot Victor Newman when he attempted to help save Colleen from the lake, and Colleen's heart was donated to him at Traci's request. Traci's brother, Billy Abbott, organized a celebration of Colleen's life that all of her friends and family attended. All of the mourners present released red balloons to honor Colleen while Beth Maitland's song, "An Angel's Lullaby," played in the background. Traci and Steve stayed in town long enough to be present for the christening of Ashley's "daughter", Faith Colleen Abbott. Faith became Traci's goddaughter, and she wore Colleen's christening gown for the ceremony. Adam Newman (Michael Muhney) became Faith's godfather, but in a turn of events, he schemed to make Ashley believe that Faith was her child. In reality, Nick (Joshua Morrow) and Sharon Newman (Sharon Case) were Faith's biological parents. Adam stole Faith from Sharon at birth, and he passed the baby off as Ashley's baby. In reality, Ashley had a hysterical pregnancy, and she never actually gave birth. This dark point in Ashley's life occurred after Traci and Steve went back to New York City. Traci also returned to visit her family for Christmastime.
In 2010, Colleen's best friend, Lily Winters (Christel Khalil), had recently overcome a battle with ovarian cancer. Lily could not bear children, but she and her husband, Cane Ashby, were able to conceive through a surrogate mother, Mackenzie Browning (Clementine Ford). When Lily and Cane's twins were born, Lily asked Traci to be their godmother in honor of Colleen, and Traci happily accepted. In 2011, Cane was shot to death on the steps of a church, and Traci attended his "funeral." In reality, Cane's twin brother, Caleb Atkinson, was killed on the church steps. Traci's older brother, Jack Abbott, was preparing to marry Genevieve Atkinson (Genie Francis). Traci returned to Genoa City to spend time with Genevieve and her sister, Ashley, before the ceremony. On the day of the wedding, Patty Williams took Genevieve's wedding dress, and she crashed the wedding. She shot Jack when he realized who she was, and Jack refused to marry Genevieve because she bought his prized company, Beauty of Nature. Traci stayed by Jack's bedside in the hospital while the doctors told him that he may not be able to walk again. Traci returned in August for Jack's wedding to Nikki, and invited her sister Ashley to come home with her. Traci also returned to support Abby when Victor Newman supposedly died. Victor had been suffering amnesia and was involved in an explosion. As a result of Victor's "death", Jack was forced to sell Beauty of Nature, and Traci urged Jack to be careful in his business deals. Traci would return shortly thereafter as she moved back to the Abbott Mansion, and became a thorn in Jack's latest relationship with Phyllis Summers (Michelle Stafford), who recently moved in with Jack. Eventually, Traci gave her blessing, but an accident left Phyllis in a coma and she left for Georgia for experimental treatments.
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Traci as the Abbott Family Rock
Since the death of John Abbott, Traci has become the family rock. Although she is the second youngest Abbott sibling, Maitland says, "Traci has kind of moved into his spot to make everyone accountable in the Abbott universe. When her niece, Abby Newman (Marcy Rylan), began acting out, Tracy acted as a mediator between her siblings and her niece.
Maitland's Perspective on Traci's Enduring Appeal
Maitland cherishes the fact that she holds a special place in the hearts of soap viewers, who find Traci more accessible than other characters in Genoa City. “I’m not a traditional, glamorous character on a daytime drama,” she points out. “I sort of represent the everyday person who gets to live through Traci in a way that no other character provides. It’s not about weight, necessarily, or age now, necessarily, it’s about what attracted fans and viewers to Traci in the first place. It wasn’t always that it was a weight story that attracted them. It was that everyone has things they’re insecure about, everyone has things they don’t like about themselves - their hair is too curly, their ears stick out, their feet are too big, whatever - and Traci is that voice. She is the voice of the common person, male or female, it doesn’t matter. She admits her appreciation for Traci’s role in the daytime landscape came with time. “It was at first a little uncomfortable, and now I’m just so proud that I get to be that voice,” Maitland explains. “It’s not only a groundbreaking compliment to [creator] Bill Bell to come up with a character like that and commit to it, it also speaks to our current commander in chief, to Josh Griffith and his writing staff, that they have decided to keep her. I mean, I haven’t been under contract on the show in, like, 35 years.
Recent Storylines
Traci continues to be the rock of the Abbott family, turning up to offer a strong shoulder for her family members to lean on in times of crisis. And boy, does everyone in that family have more than enough drama in their lives to keep her busy! Plus, Traci found herself offering advice to Cane Ashby, who was struggling with trying to repair his relationship with his estranged wife, Lily. Then, Traci helped care for her ailing mother, Dina Mergeron, who was struggling with Alzheimer’s and nearing the end of her life. She also was offered a job heading up the publishing side of Chancellor Media by Lily and Billy.
When Jack received strange text messages luring him to Los Angeles, Traci was worried for her brother and wanted to accompany him but he refused. She was then surprised when he reported back that his son, Keemo, had died, but he also had a granddaughter, Allie! While Ashley was suspicious of Allie’s motives, Traci had a more positive attitude towards the newest Abbott. However, she did join the rest of the family in being outraged when Jack later revealed he’d been lured to L.A. by Diane Jenkins, who had faked her death years ago! Traci was still wary of Diane as she and Jack grew closer, but continued to support her brother. She also helped Nikki plan a gala masquerade ball to celebrate Genoa City’s bicentennial. In the spring of 2023, the Abbott family was in turmoil and Traci’s agent urged her to find a way to end the in-fighting. Traci called a family meeting and tried to knock some sense into everyone, telling them to think about what John would have wanted them all to do. Later, when Jack wanted to kick Ashley off the board of directors, Traci and Billy both disagreed with his plan. And when Jack and Diane got married at the courthouse, Traci was the only one in attendance. When Jack and Diane finally had a proper wedding celebration, Traci happily gave a toast and wished the couple happiness. But she continued to warn Jack to be careful in his war against Tucker.
Traci supported Ashley when she finally came home after splitting up with Tucker on their honeymoon, and also when her sister insisted that Tucker had been violent towards her. When Ashley decided to go back to the cafe in Paris where the fight had occurred, Traci went with her, but the staff confirmed Tucker’s side of the story, not Ashley’s. As her sister’s condition worsened and she began experiencing memory loss and blackouts, Traci grew more concerned and called Ashley’s psychiatrist friend from Paris, Alan Laurent, to come to Genoa City to see if he could help. After Alan diagnosed Ashley with dissociative identity disorder, Tracy accompanied her sister and the shrink on a trip to Paris to find out what could have caused it. They soon realized that Ashley had been traumatized by his twin brother, Martin, who had been posing as him at the time. During a struggle, the brothers took a fall and only Alan survived. Ashley was admitted to inpatient therapy and Traci remained in France as she began connecting romantically with Alan. She was thrilled when Danny and Christine visited during his world tour and introduced them to Alan, who they happily approved of. When a producer contacted her about turning one of her books into a movie, Traci invited Alan to join her on a trip to L.A. Returning home, Traci was delighted when Alan announced his intention to move to Genoa City to be closer to her.
In Traci’s current storyline, where she’s engaged to Dr. Alan Laurent, who recently kidnapped Sharon Newman (Sharon Case) and Phyllis Summers (Michelle Stafford), the show is leaning into Traci’s profession as a novelist, something Maitland would love to see more of. “I’ve always wanted her to not be a crime solver necessarily, but to be a mystery solver,” she says. “I don’t mean be a private investigator, but I always wanted Traci to be the one that figures everything out. This is not about being nosy or being a busybody, it’s about solving people’s problems or business issues. It’s about unraveling personal relationship problems.
Awards and Recognition
Maitland won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her role as Traci in 1985. In 2022, Charlie Mason from Soaps She Knows placed Traci 21st on his list of the best 25 characters from The Young and the Restless, commenting "What's that, you say? Traci's not exciting? Nothing happens to Traci? She doesn't even have a love interest? Traci, friends, is us. Beth Maitland's character is the voice of reason to which no one listens, the well-adjusted personality we should all aspire to be.
Personal Life and Family
There’s relatively sparse information about the details in Beth Maitland’s private life, but we do know some things. For example, Beth has a beautiful and talented daughter, named Emelia Banninger. Emelia came into the world during Beth’s marriage to Christopher Banninger, an award-winning sound technician involved in various soap operas. The couple crossed paths behind the scenes and exchanged vows in 1989. After many years of marriage, Beth and Christoper divorced in 2018. Sadly, Christopher passed away year after their split was finalized. According to Soaps, he died of a massive heart attack. “He passed away with no pain and with dear friends holding his hand. He is survived by our daughter Emelia, and although you may know we were recently divorced, I have spent 35 years of loving this man with every ounce of me and I feel so sorry for the pain this loss brings to so many of you who loved him too,” Beth shared on social media.
Christopher’s memory now lives on through his family, perhaps most notably his daughter Emelia. She seems to have embarked on a professional path quite similar to both her mother and father. Beth is a talented singer, and Christopher worked with sound for a significant part of his life, so it may not be surprising that Emelia has ventured into the music field as well. As a young girl, she taught herself to play the flute and bassoon. She studied at California Polytechnic State University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2017. Emelia then continued her studies at the Royal Academy of Music, earning a master’s degree in bassoon performance. Emelia Banninger and Beth Maitland attend ‘The Addams Family’ opening night premiere at the Pantages Theatre on June 5, 2012 in Hollywood, California. Today, ”Emmie” plays the bassoon at the San Luis Obispo, California symphony, and her mother Beth is often there to watch her pride and joy perform. But Emelia also have other talents. In addition to that, this multifaceted young woman has also made appearances on The Young and the Restless, when she was 4. “Many years ago… there was a newly-created flashback with a young Traci and a young Ashley playing with dolls,” Maitland told TV Insider in 2018. “Young Traci says, ‘Gee, Ashley, you’d make a great mommy someday!’ That Traci was played by my real-life daughter. “The best thing for me about being a mother is learning that this is the most important contribution to the world I will ever make. Raising a kind, talented, energetic, beautiful world citizen is my hope for the future,” Maitland says. “When Emmie was born, I stopped watching the news. It would just crush me to see the world I was bringing her into. But now I see beyond today’s headlines and into the eyes of our hopeful and bright young people and see in them the power of change, the power of good. It completes me to watch my daughter blossom and emerge as a capable young adult, and I am so blessed to have been a part of her life. What a wonderful bond Beth seems to share with Emelia.
Enduring Legacy
Beth Maitland's remarkable journey and achievements are truly inspiring. The special bond she shares with her daughter Emelia is also very beautiful! Beth Maitland, who joined The Young and the Restless in 1982, couldn’t be more thrilled to still be a part of the cast as the show marks 52 years on the air on March 26. “Somehow, walking into that building year after year, decade after decade, has just reinforced for me that acting has saved my life during the most difficult, traumatic times one can imagine happening to a person,” Maitland reflects. “Being an actor has gotten me through those things, and I feel privileged at my age to still have a job and to still be showing up for work doing something I feel meant to do.
In addition to her professional accomplishments, Maitland can’t help but focus on the personal connections she’s made through the years. “We talk about it being a family all the time, and people probably roll their eyes and think, ‘How can that be?’ But I’m telling you, there are people that I work with, both in front of and behind the camera, that are some of my dearest, closest friends,” Maitland offers. “We have our family by birth, but then we have our family by choice. These people are a giant part of my life and influenced me every day. We have been through births of children, relationships, marriages, divorces, loss, all kinds of things. As is counting herself an ongoing cast member of the legendary soap. “I was hired just for the summer, and I was given a three-month contract,” she marvels. “But the fact that they keep investing in this character, that they keep returning to this really unique person being an important part of the dynamic in Genoa City is so flattering.