Former One Life to Live actress dies after a tragic accident

Tragedy has taken the life of a popular soap star and the entertainment world is mourning the death . Lisa Banes an actress who once was on the ABC daytime drama ONE LIFE TO LIVE was involved in a fatal hit and run accident on June 4. Her manager David Williams said the following: “We are heartsick over Lisa’s tragic and senseless passing. She was a woman of great spirit, kindness, and generosity and dedicated to her work, whether on stage or in front of a camera and even more so to her wife, family, and friends. We were blessed to have had her in our lives,”

The beautiful and talented Lisa Banes was 65 years of age, born on July 9, 1955, and passed away June 14, 2021. The versitle actress was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play in 1984 for ISN'T IT ROMANTIC and won a 1981 Theatre World Award for her performance Off-Broadway in LOOK BACK IN ANGER. She also appeared in COCTAIL (1988), FREEDOM WRITERS (2007), AND GONE GIRL (2014), and A CURE FOR WELLNESS (2016).

The talented entertainer also had roles in numerous television series including ONE UPON A TIME, NASHVILLE, KANE AND ABEL, THE GOOD WIFE, THE HOTEL NEW HAMPSHIRE, MURDER SHE WROTE, THE TRIALS OF ROSIE ONEAL, CHINA BEACH, STAR TREK DEEP SPACE NINE and COCKTAIL. She is known to soap fans, however, for her role as Eve McBain on the ABC daytime drama ONE LIFE TO LIVE. Although she only had the role for one year, soap fans remember her character fondly. No matter how long an actor has been away ftom a soap role there are always viewers who can recall the character they portrayed.

The tragedy that led to the death of the actress occurred when Banes was walking across Amsterdam Ave. in New York City on June 4. She was struck by either a motorcycle or a motorized scooter while on her way to the Julliard School which was her alma mater. The actress was taken to the Mount Sinai Morningside Hospital with extensive brain injuries but sadly never recovered and passed away on June 14. This is the second such accident involving a celebrity in just a little over a year.

In February 2020 entertainer Orson Bean was crossing the street in Los Angeles on his way to see his wife Allie Mills. (The WONDER YEARS, THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL) perform in a play. It was dark and the 90 year old Bean was struck by a vehicle as he was walking. When he tried to get up the actor was hit by a second car which resulted in his death. The freak accident stunned the entertainment world and his wife has not returned to THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL since it happened.

Lisa Banes was born in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. and studied acting at the Juilliard School in New York City. Soap fans will recall that Lisa Banes portrayed Eve McBain for one season on ONE LIFE TO LIVE during 2004. The character returned in 2006 but there was a recast in the role. Eve McBain was a lounge singer who performed at Capricorn and was the mother of John and Michael Mcbain. Her husband Thomas was a police officer who was killed in the line of duty and Eve sang as a way to deal with her grief.

Lisa Banes was also a star on BROADWAY in ARCADIA, HIGH SOCIETY, ACCENT ON YOUTH, PRESENT LAUGHTER, THE NICIETIES, and GO BACK WHERE YOU CAME FROM. She was married to Kathryn Kranhold, 61, who is a contributing reporter for the Centre for Public Integrity and has written for THE WALL STREET JOURNAL. Banes lived in Los Angeles at the time of her death. Thoughts and prayers to the family and friends of the actress during this time of shock, grief, and mourning.