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Beth Maitland’s Ex-husband & GH Sound Tech Christopher Banninger Dead
Monday, November 4th, 2019
Young and The Restless actress confirms personal news.
Soaps.com is saddened to report the death of Christopher Banninger, the ex-husband of The Young and the Restless actress Beth Maitland (Traci Abbot). Maitland revealed on social media that Banninger died of a massive heart attack on October 31. “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.”
Maitland and Banninger met as he worked behind the scenes as a sound mixer on soap operas, most recently on General Hospital in 2018. The couple married in 1989 and have one adult daughter, Emelia Banninger. On Valentine’s Day of 2016, it was reported that Banninger filed for divorce citing irreconcilable differences. He and Maitland privately divided up their community property, and neither sought spousal support. The divorced was finalized in 2018.
More: One Life to Live’s Brian Tarantina dead
Banninger’s earliest credited work was as a score mixer for the music of the 1987 science fiction film Rolling Vengeance. He went on as a score mixer for Full Moon Under Blue Water in 1988, and then as a music effects mixer on television’s The New WKRP in Cincinnati from 1991 until 1992. However, he spent most of his career as a sound mixer on television and film. His major credits include television shows such as Unhappily Ever After, Almost Perfect, The Parkers, Men at Work, and The Odd Couple reboot. His work on daytime dramas earned him several Daytime Emmy nominations, and in 2012 he won a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Achievement in Live and Direct to Tape Sound Mixing for a Drama Series for the online version of All My Children.
Soaps.com sends condolences to Banninger’s family and loved ones. We invite readers to look at a gallery of all the stars the daytime community has lost this year.
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<p>One Life to Live’s <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/541364/stephen-markle-dead-73/" target="_blank">Stephen Markle (Mel Hayes) Dead at 73</a> November 6 2018 (his death was not announced until 2019) – pictured here with Robin Strasser (Dorian Lord).</p>
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2/43
<p>‘Dallas’ Alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/539819/ken-kercheval-dead-at-83/" target="_blank">Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes) Dead at 83</a>, April 20.</p>
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3/43
<p>Passions Alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/539179/passions-alum-georgia-engel-dead-at-70/" target="_blank">Georgia Engel (Esmerelda) Dead at 70</a> years of age in Princeton, New Jersey.</p>
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4/43
<p>Y&R’s <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/the-young-and-the-restless/news/534484/yrs-kristoff-st-john-dead-at-52/" target="_blank">Kristoff St. John (Neil Winters) Dead at 52</a> on February 3. The official cause of death was “hypertrophic heart disease… and effects of ethanol.”</p>
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5/43
<p>Soap Alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/536641/soap-alum-jed-allan-dead-at-84/" target="_blank">Jed Allan Dead at 84</a> in Palm Desert, California on March 10.</p>
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6/43
<p>90210, Loving and Another World’s <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/536171/luke-perry-dead-at-52/" target="_blank">Luke Perry Dead at 52</a> on Monday March 4 due to a massive stroke</p>
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7/43
<p>Soap’s <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/536095/soap-star-katherine-helmond-dead-at-89/" target="_blank">Katherine Helmond died on February 28</a> at age 89 due to Alzheimer’s complications.</p>
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8/43
<p><a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/days-of-our-lives/news/534928/days-alum-steve-bean-dead-at-58/" target="_blank">Steve Bean (Steve Levy) passed away</a> on January 21 at the age of 58 due to sino-squamous cell carcinoma.</p>
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9/43
<p>As the World Turns, The Doctors and Another World’s Alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/535856/soap-alum-beverley-owen-of-the-munsters-dead-at-81/" target="_blank">Beverley Owen of ‘The Munsters’ Dead at 81</a> on February 21.</p>
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10/43
<p>Soap Alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/534465/soap-alum-carmen-duncan-dead-at-76/" target="_blank">Carmen Duncan Dead at 76</a> on February 3 due to cancer.</p>
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11/43
<p>Y&R’s <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/the-young-and-the-restless/news/534484/yrs-kristoff-st-john-dead-at-52/" target="_blank">Kristoff St. John (Neil Winters) Dead at 52</a> on February 3. The official cause of death was “hypertrophic heart disease… and effects of ethanol.”</p>
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<p>General Hospital’s <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/general-hospital/news/533139/general-hospitals-donna-messina-dead-at-59/" target="_blank">Donna Messina Dead at 59</a> on December 6, 2018 (the word did not come out until January 7, 2019)</p>
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13/43
<p>Days, ‘Star Trek’ Alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/days-of-our-lives/news/533195/days-star-trek-alum-william-morgan-sheppard-dead-at-86/" target="_blank">William Morgan Sheppard Dead at 86</a> on January 6.</p>
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14/43
<p>Soap Writer <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/533566/soap-writer-bettina-bradbury-dead-at-63/" target="_blank">Bettina Bradbury died at age 63</a> on January 13. She wrote for All My Children, Days of our Lives, One life to Live and Santa Barbara.</p>
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<p>B&B and Y&R’s <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/the-young-and-the-restless/news/533130/bb-and-yrs-scha-jani-dead-at-66/" target="_blank">Scha Jani Dead at 66</a> on November 26, 2018 (information was not available until January 7, 2019).</p>
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16/43
<p>All My Children and One Life to Live alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/543555/all-my-children-one-life-to-live-sylvia-miles-dead-94/" target="_blank">Sylvia Miles passed away at age 94 </a>from unknown causes while en route to the hospital.</p>
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17/43
<p>General Hospital actress <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/general-hospital/news/544572/general-hospital-susan-bernard-dead-71/" target="_blank">Susan Bernard passed away at 71</a> from an apparent heart attack.</p>
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18/43
<p>As the World Turns and Edge of Night director <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/544853/as-the-world-turns-edge-of-night-director-joel-aronowitz-dead/" target="_blank">Joel Aronowitz passed away</a> on June 29 following a brief illness. </p>
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19/43
<p>General Hospital alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/general-hospital/news/544975/arte-johnson-laugh-in-general-hospital-dead/" target="_blank">Arte Johnson died on July 3</a> following a battle of bladder and prostate cancer.</p>
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20/43
<p>General Hospital: Night Shift alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/general-hospital/news/545121/general-hospital-night-shift-cameron-boyce-dead/" target="_blank">Cameron Boyce died in his sleep</a> at the age of 20 following a seizure. The actor had been treated for epilepsy. </p>
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21/43
<p>Willy Wonka, Search for Tomorrow and Dark Shadows actress <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/545337/search-for-tomorrow-dark-shadows-willy-wonka-chocolate-factory-denise-nickerson-dead-at-62/" target="_blank">Denise Nickerson died at 62</a> on July 11 after suffering a stroke. </p>
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<p>Soap opera vet <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/545963/obituary-guiding-light-robert-milli-dead-86/" target="_blank">Robert Milli passed away at 86</a> after a battle with cancer. </p>
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23/43
<p>Another World and Young and Restless alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/the-young-and-the-restless/news/546021/obituary-young-and-restless-david-hedison-dead-92/" target="_blank">David Hedison passed away</a> at 92. </p>
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24/43
<p>Bold and Beautiful and Young and Restless makeup artist <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/the-young-and-the-restless/news/546173/yr-bb-actors-mourn-make-up-artist-jenna-wittman/" target="_blank">Jenna Wittman passed away in July 2019</a> after being put on life support. </p>
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25/43
<p>Bold and Beautiful Production Designer <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/the-bold-and-the-beautiful/news/546935/obituary-sy-tomashoff-dead-96/" target="_blank">Sy Tomashoff passed away at 96</a>. </p>
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26/43
<p>Another World actress <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/548938/carol-lynley-dead-77/" target="_blank">Carol Lynley passed away at 77</a> after suffering a heartattack.</p>
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27/43
<p>Days of our Lives and Generations script writer <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/days-of-our-lives/news/549160/rocci-chatfield-dead-93/" target="_blank">Rocci Chatfield passed away at 93</a> of natural causes. </p>
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28/43
<p>General Hospital alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/general-hospital/news/549598/obituary-brian-turk-dead-49/" target="_blank">Brian Turk passed away at 49</a> due to complications from brain cancer.</p>
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29/43
<p>One Life to Live alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/549629/obituary-phyllis-newman-dead-86/" target="_blank">Phyllis Newman passed away</a> at 86. </p>
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30/43
<p>Another World writer <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/550345/obituary-jan-merlin-dead-94/" target="_blank">Jan Merlin passed away</a> at 94. </p>
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31/43
<p>Soap opera writer <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/550303/soap-writer-hogan-sheffer-dead-61/" target="_blank">Hogan Sheffer passed away</a> at 61. </p>
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32/43
<p>General Hospital alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/general-hospital/news/549940/general-hospital-suzanne-whang-dead-56/" target="_blank">Suzanne Whang passed away at 56</a> as a result of breast cancer.</p>
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33/43
<p>Dynasty actress <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/550721/obituary-diahann-carroll-dead-84/" target="_blank">Diahann Carroll passed away at 84</a> as a result of cancer. </p>
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<p>Days of our Lives alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/days-of-our-lives/news/550801/obituary-lewis-dauber-dead-70/" target="_blank">Lewis Dauber passed away at 70</a> as a result of liver cancer.</p>
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35/43
<p>Edge of Night and Maude alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/551502/obituary-bill-macy-dead-97/" target="_blank">Bill Macy passed away</a> at the age of 97 on October 17. </p>
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36/43
<p>Y&R’s Beth Maitland’s ex-husband and General Hospital Sound Tech <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/general-hospital/news/552689/gh-sound-tech-christopher-banninger-dead/" target="_blank">Christopher Banninger passed away</a> due to a massive heart attack.</p>
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<p>One Life to Live alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/552667/obituary-one-life-to-live-brian-tarantina-dead-60/" target="_blank">Brian Tarantina passed away</a> at 60. </p>
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<p>Young and Restless and General Hospital alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/the-young-and-the-restless/news/552944/obituary-yr-william-wintersole-dead-88/" target="_blank">William Wintersole passed away at 88</a> due to complications from cancer. </p>
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39/43
<p>Will & Grace alum <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/general-hospital/news/554988/obituary-shelley-morrison-dead-83/" target="_blank">Shelley Morrison has passed away at 83</a>. The actress also appeared on ABC’s General Hospiral as Mrs. Ramirez in 1982.</p>
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<p>Award-winning producer <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/the-young-and-the-restless/news/555442/obituary-young-and-restless-producer-lisa-de-cazotte-dead-58/" target="_blank">Lisa de Cazotte passed away at 58</a>. She worked on numerous soap operas including All My Children, Days of our Lives, General Hospital, Santa Barbara and held a position at Young and Restless at the time of her death. </p>
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<p>One Life to Live actress <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/556678/obituary-one-life-to-live-pamela-payton-wright-dead-78/" target="_blank">Pamela Payton-Wright passed away</a> at 78. She was best known for playing Llanview’s Addie Cramer. </p>
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<p>Days of our Lives’ <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/days-of-our-lives/news/540071/obituary-days-of-our-lives-john-clarke-dead-88/" target="_blank">John Clarke died on October 16</a> from pneumonia. Clarke retired from playing Mickey Horton on the NBC soap opera in 2004. </p>
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