Traci Abbott

Last updated

Traci Abbott
The Young and the Restless character
Beth Maitland as Traci Abbott.png
Beth Maitland as Traci Abbott
Portrayed by
Duration
  • 1982–1996
  • 1999
  • 2001–2002
  • 2006–present
First appearanceJune 17, 1982
Classification Present; recurring
Created by William J. Bell
Introduced by
Crossover
appearances		 The Bold and the Beautiful
In-universe information
Other names
  • Traci Ann Abbott
  • Traci Carlton
  • Traci Connelly
  • Traci Romalotti
Occupation
  • Novelist
  • Singer
  • Fan club president
  • CEO of Jabot
Parents
Brothers Jack Abbott
Half-brothers
Half-sisters Ashley Abbott
Spouse
Children Colleen Carlton
GrandparentsRobert Abbott
UnclesIvan Abbott
Nieces and nephews

Traci Abbott is a fictional character from the American CBS soap opera, The Young and the Restless . Created and introduced by William J. Bell, the role has been portrayed by Beth Maitland since 1982. Traci is the daughter of John Abbott and Dina Mergeron.

Contents

Initially a short-term role that would last three months, Maitland impressed the series' producers and was placed on contract, remaining until 1996. 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. Since 2006, Maitland has remained on a recurring status with the soap opera. Described as a fan favorite by Soaps in Depth , Maitland's portrayal has garnered praise, including a Daytime Emmy Award in 1985.

Casting

Intended to be a short-term contract role lasting three months, Maitland impressed the producers. 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. [1] On March 20, 2007, Traci made an appearance on the show's sister soap opera, The Bold and the Beautiful . In 2009, Maitland recorded a song that served as the background music for Traci's daughter, Colleen Carlton's funeral. The song was entitled "An Angel's Lullaby." Since Maria Arena Bell became a writer for the show, Traci was seen more often: "It got to the point where the show stopped calling altogether and I thought my soap ship had sailed. But, after Maria took over, I suddenly had 30 episodes when [Traci's daughter] Colleen died – the biggest storyline I'd had in over 10 years. I don't have those problems anymore. I feel like an honored member of the cast. The climate has changed." [2]

Character development

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. She's the conscience everyone has to 'fess up to." [2] When her niece, Abby Newman (Marcy Rylan), began acting out, Tracy acted as a mediator between her siblings and her niece. Maitland said, "Traci sees all of Abby's nightmarish behavior, the drinking, the manipulative pranks, the naked-heiress stuff, as what it really is – a cry for help." [2]

Storylines

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. After her recovery, she went onstage at one of Danny's concerts to speak about the dangers of drug addiction.

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. Traci left town to continue her education at Stanford University.

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. The former novel was based on her life of living in Ashley's shadow.

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. Then, Traci moved to New York City with Colleen, where she married Steve in 1993.

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 1999, When the Abbotts reclaimed Jabot from Newman Enterprises, Traci returned home to join in the family celebration.

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. Traci was shocked to learn of the animosity that spread through her family, and she was also unaware of her siblings vendetta with their stepmother.

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. Traci stayed in town to attend Brad's funeral, and then she returned to New York.

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. Lily believed that she was having hallucinations because she was seeing Cane's "ghost." Traci was the only person to sympathize with Lily when everyone else thought that she was insane.

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. Traci briefly hinted to Jack that her return to Genoa City was sparked by issues with her marriage to Steve following Colleen's death.

In 2019, Traci writes another book based on Cane Ashby.

Reception

Maitland won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her role as Traci in 1985. [3] 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. Also, we couldn't freaking adore her more." [4]

Related Research Articles

<i>The Bold and the Beautiful</i> American television soap opera

The Bold and the Beautiful is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. It premiered on March 23, 1987, as a sister show to the Bells' other soap opera The Young and the Restless; several characters from each of the two shows have crossed over to the other since the early 1990s. Set in Los Angeles, California, the show centers upon the Forrester family and their haute couture business.

Jack Abbott (<i>The Young and the Restless</i>) Fictional character

Jack Abbott is a fictional character from the American CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless. The character was introduced in 1980 being portrayed by Terry Lester. Lester departed from the series in 1989 and was replaced by Peter Bergman shortly thereafter. Bergman relocated to California after successfully auditioning for the part. His first episode aired on November 27, 1989. Jack is known for his longstanding feud with the Newman family patriarch, Victor Newman as well as his romances with Diane Jenkins, Nikki Newman, Phyllis Summers, and Sharon Newman. Jack has represented the Abbott family as the patriarch since the 2006 passing of his father, John Abbott.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brad Carlton</span> Fictional character from the American CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless

Brad Carlton is a fictional character from the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless, portrayed by Don Diamont. The character became a mainstay on the series for over 20 years. He was known for his relationships with Traci Abbott, Ashley Abbott and Victoria Newman, as well as his business rivalries with Jack Abbott and Victor Newman. In 2009, the character drowned in a frozen lake.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Baldwin</span> Soap opera character

Michael Baldwin is a fictional character from the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless. The role is portrayed by Christian LeBlanc, originally from November 26, 1991, to July 7, 1993, and again since April 25, 1997. Michael has had relationships with Christine Blair, and has had marriages to Hilary Lancaster and Lauren Fenmore, with whom he has a son, Fenmore Baldwin.

John Abbott (<i>The Young and the Restless</i>) Soap opera character

John Abbott is a fictional character from the American CBS Daytime soap opera, The Young and the Restless. He was the patriarch of the Abbott family, one of the core families introduced to the series in 1980. After a brief portrayal by Brett Halsey, the role was portrayed by Jerry Douglas. After the character's onscreen death, Douglas has continued in the role as a hallucination to various other characters. John's children are Jack, Traci, Ashley, and Billy Abbott.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colleen Carlton</span> Soap opera character

Colleen Carlton is a fictional character from The Young and the Restless, an American soap opera on the CBS network, last portrayed by Tammin Sursok. The character was born during the March 5, 1992, episode as the daughter of Brad Carlton and Traci Abbott. After leaving the soap opera three years later, the character returned as a teenager in 2001, portrayed by Lyndsy Fonseca, who remained in the role until 2005. The following year, the role was recast with Adrianne León, who portrayed the character for a year until Sursok took over. Sursok exited the role in 2009, following the death of the character. In 2010, an uncredited actress reprised the role in a dream.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gloria Abbott Bardwell</span> Fictional character

Gloria Abbott Bardwell is a fictional character from The Young and the Restless, an American soap opera on the CBS network. The role was originated by Joan Van Ark on June 9, 2004, who portrayed the role until 2005, with Judith Chapman assuming the role on January 17, 2005. She is the mother of Michael Baldwin and Kevin Fisher. She is known for attracting troublesome men, and being quite troublesome herself. Gloria can be naive at times, always taking things to the extreme. Known for her over-the-top personality, she owned and operated Gloworm, the hottest Genoa City club, until it burned down.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jabot Cosmetics</span>

Jabot Cosmetics is a fictional cosmetics business on the CBS daytime soap opera The Young and the Restless. Jabot Cosmetics was founded by John Abbott in the 1960s. His children Jack Abbott, Ashley Abbott, and Billy Abbott have worked there with Jack the current CEO. It is currently owned by the Abbott family, with Kyle Abbott, Jack's son with Diane Jenkins, also working there. It is described as a line of "advanced scientific skincare and luxurious fragrances." In 2011, following a deal between CBS Consumer Products and Sony Pictures Television, the line became a "reality". The name Jabot is a portmanteau of John Abbott's first initial and surname, stylised into a more glamorous French; the word "jabot" refers to a garment style element, the ruffle on the front of a shirt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danny Romalotti</span> Fictional character from the American CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless

Danny Romalotti is a fictional character from the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless, portrayed by Michael Damian. The character of Danny first appeared in Genoa City, the town where Y&R is set, in 1981. Damian and his character Danny exited the show in 1998, though Danny has returned on several occasions in 2002, 2003 to 2004, 2008, 2012 to 2013, and 2022 to 2023. A rock star, the character is known for his relationships with Traci Abbott, Lauren Fenmore, Christine "Cricket" Blair, and Phyllis Summers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patty Williams</span> Fictional character from the American CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless

Patty Williams is a fictional character from the American CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless. The character made her debut in 1980 and, after a brief portrayal by Tammy Taylor, Lilibet Stern took over for three years, followed by Andrea Evans until 1984. The character was re-introduced by former head writer Maria Arena Bell 25 years later in 2009, with Stacy Haiduk taking over the role. She appeared sporadically for an additional three years, and then returned from 2015 to November 2016. Much of Patty's history revolves around her romance with Jack Abbott, and her rivalries with other women that were competitor for Jack's love, such as; Jill Foster, Diane Jenkins, Phyllis Summers, Emily Peterson and Genevieve Atkinson. She also suffers from difficult mental health issues which was expressed among other things in her obsession with Jack, and in the crimes that she committed in order to get him.

The storylines of the soap opera The Young and the Restless have changed over the years since the show debuted in 1973. Originally examining the lives of the wealthy Brooks and the poor Fosters, a series of recasts and departures in the early 1980s turned the focus of The Young and the Restless to the Abbotts and the Newmans, including the corporate rivalry between their two respective companies. However, one basic plot that has run throughout almost all of the program's history is the rivalry between Jill Foster Abbott and Katherine Chancellor, similar to the show's sister show, The Bold and the Beautiful, regarding Brooke Logan and Stephanie Forrester.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daniel Romalotti</span> Fictional character from the American CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless

Daniel Romalotti is a fictional character on the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless. The role had most notably been portrayed by Michael Graziadei since 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Newman family</span>

The Newman family is one of the core families on the American soap opera, The Young and the Restless, which is set in the fictional town of Genoa City, Wisconsin. They were introduced in February 1980, when Victor Newman arrived in town. Eventually, Victor was paired with Nicole Reed, who has notably become the family's prominent matriarch, having been married to Victor four times. The family is currently represented by Victor, Nikki and his four living children: Victoria, Nicholas, Abby and Adam Newman. The family is also well known for its long-standing feud with the Abbott family. The Newmans run the multinational conglomerate Newman Enterprises. They have lived at their ranch for three decades.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">J. T. and Colleen</span> Soap opera character

J. T. Hellstrom and Colleen Carlton are fictional characters and a supercouple from the American CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless. J. T. was portrayed by Thad Luckinbill, and Colleen was portrayed by three different actresses during the pair's time together, including Lyndsy Fonseca, Adrianne León, and Tammin Sursok. They are often referred to by the portmanteau "Jolleen" by fans on internet message boards and in magazines. Many other famous celebrities appear on this show.

References

  1. ↑ "About Y&R: Who's Who in Genoa City | Traci Ann Abbott Connolly". Soap Central. soapcentral.com. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 "The Young and the Restless Welcomes Back Beth Maitland - Today's News: Our Take | TVGuide.com". www.tvguide.com. Archived from the original on May 11, 2011.
  3. ↑ Passalacqua, Connie (August 23, 1985). "Soap scoop: Daytime Emmys need improvement". Edmonton Journal . Edmonton, Alberta: Postmedia Network Inc. p. 89. Retrieved December 31, 2012.
  4. ↑ Mason, Charlie (April 3, 2022). "The Young and the Restless' 25 Best Characters of All Time, Ranked [PHOTOS]". Soaps She Knows . She Media . Retrieved July 27, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.