Last night, ABC acknowledged and honored the death of one of their casting producers for the reality TV series, The Great American Baking Show.
The passing of Mary Fanto has left her family and her production peers leveled by her death. Ms. Fanto was honored at the end of last night’s ABC series The Great American Baking Show. She passed away before Christmas in December 2019.
Ms. Fanto was part of the casting team for the popular cooking competition series.
According to IMDB, Mary Fanto was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She also has casting credits for Behind Enemy Lines (2001), Mighty Joe Young (1998), and Charlie (2003).
Her friend, Dot Stovall, posted a lengthy remembrance and personal photo gallery on Facebook before Christmas:
“I lost an old friend last week. Mary Fanto – one of the most beautiful spirits I have ever known… I am just so sad that she his gone but I am so happy that I was a lucky one who got to hang out for awhile with this incredible soul. I will miss you. What a great reminder to us all – please pick up the phone – send that text – reach out to the ones you love.”
Mary had cast other reality TV shows and in October posted an open call for a new dating series set in Europe:
Her nephew, Jon Fanto, remembered her on Facebook posting this on December 21, 2019, as well:
Fans and friends are speculating to the cause of her death, rumored to have been cardiac arrest.
Ms. Fanto was quite proud of her work and posted on Twitter and on her Facebook page about the Great American Baking Show and the cast she helped assemble:
Guess what starts tonight – The Great American Baking Show! We are super proud of this show so please give it a look! The cast… https://t.co/brXmWntU0V
— mary fanto (@mkfanto) December 6, 2018
Condolences to her family and friends.