Happy birthday, Beth Maitland.

On The Young and the Restless‘ Traci Abbott serves as the heart of not only the Abbott family but also Genoa City. Actress Beth Maitland also has a very special reason to be festive right now.

Happy Birthday, Beth Maitland

That’s because she was born on May 12, 1958, in Rapid City, South Dakota, which means that this talented actress is turning 66 years old today! Maitland relocated alongside her family to Scottsdale, Arizona, when she was a mere seven years of age, but it was in her new community that she discovered her love of performing.

By the time she turned 13, Maitland had already appeared in numerous plays in both the local playhouse and in dinner theaters. After graduating from Arizona State University (where she obtained degrees in music and theater), Maitland decamped to Los Angeles.

During the day, she attended performance workshops. At night, she worked in various clubs. Among her acting credits are guest appearances in programs like Criminal Minds, as well as the made-for-TV movie Plaza Suite and the feature film Mr. Holland’s Opus.

But it is, without question, the role of Traci for which Maitland is most well known. She made her debut on The Young and the Restless in 1982, and she remained on contract until 1993.

She made frequent return trips in 1994, 1995, and 1996. She reappeared for a brief guest appearance in 1999, and she had been on recurring status since 2001. During her tenure on the soap, Maitland saw her character evolve from a depressed college student to a self-confident author.

Soap Hub would like to wish Beth Maitland a very happy birthday, and you can, too, by clicking on the X (formerly Twitter) link below.