Cass Elliot (born Ellen Naomi Cohen; September 19, 1941 – July 29, 1974), also known as Mama Cass, was an American singer and member of The Mamas & the Papas. After the group broke up, she released five solo albums. In 1998, Elliot, John Phillips, Denny Doherty, and Michelle Phillips were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for their work as The Mamas & the Papas.
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| 1 | Probably the biggest bring-down in my life was being in a pop group and finding out just how much it was like everything it was supposed to be against. |
| 2 | I would say the world's in terrible shape, but I'm afraid the world would say, "Look who's talking" |
| 3 | Rock and roll is relentless. That's what I want to do in Las Vegas, not let up. Really pour it on. |
| 4 | When you're on stage, you gotta do it. People pay to see you, and they deserve to be entertained and you should go out there and really give it your best shot. And that's quite a challenge. You have a new audience for every show. Even though you do the same thing all the time, you gotta keep it fresh for yourself and you gotta keep it good and interesting and something you want to do. I'm anxious to have a really terrific act. Whatever it takes it takes. |
| # | Fact |
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| 1 | Regularly drove approximately 40 miles from her home on Woodrow Wilson Drive in the Laurel Canyon section of the Hollywood Hills to the Malibu home of Julia Phillips so they could play the card game canasta during the early 1970s. Phillips, who lived with her husband on Nicholas Beach Rd. in the Trancas Highlands section of Malibu during that era, later devoted four pages to the singer in the bestselling book "You'll Never Eat Lunch in This Town Again." Phillips also claimed the singer hated the IRS and paid an outstanding debt of $10,000 to this government agency with a truckload of pennies that she arranged to leave outside its office near the 405 freeway in the Westwood section of Los Angeles. Phillips continued the story on page 154 of the book: "It was a costly joke -- finding the pennies and the truck large enough to do it cost her another three grand, not to mention being cited by the government for contempt and having to collect the pennies and remove them. All in all she came out about even. That was how it was with Cass. If she broke even, she was having fun.". |
| 2 | Formed the short-lived duo, "Mason and Cass", with former Traffic guitarist/vocalist Dave Mason. |
| 3 | Was instrumental in the formation of Crosby Stills & Nash. According to legend, the trio first performed in the kitchen of her house in Laurel Canyon. |
| 4 | Aunt of Nathaniel Kunkel. |
| 5 | Ex-sister-in-law of Russ Kunkel. |
| 6 | The Crosby Stills & Nash Greatest Hits album was dedicated to her (2005). |
| 7 | Assumed the surname Elliot in memory of a dead friend. |
| 8 | Older sister of Leah Kunkel. |
| 9 | Died in the same room, No. 12 at 9 Curzon Place in London, where The Who drummer Keith Moon died four years later. Musician Harry Nilsson was the leaseholder; after Moon's death, Nilsson sold the lease. |
| 10 | Had an IQ of 165. |
| 11 | Is credited with helping to assemble the bands The Lovin' Spoonful and Crosby Stills Nash & Young. |
| 12 | Ranked #23 on VH1's 100 Greatest Women of Rock N Roll |
| 13 | Her last appearance on American television was on the quiz show Celebrity Sweepstakes (1974). |
| 14 | Posed nude for Cheetah magazine. |
| 15 | Mother of Owen Elliot-Kugell, whose father's name she never revealed to anyone. Michelle Phillips helped Owen find her biological father. |
| 16 | She was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, along with the other Mamas and Papas, in 1998. Her award was accepted by her daughter, Owen Elliot-Kugell. |
| 17 | She auditioned for the "Miss Marmelstein" stage role in "I Can Get It for You Wholesale" but lost out to Barbra Streisand. |
| 18 | She actually preferred classical music, jazz and Broadway show tunes to rock. |
| 19 | A member of the folk group "The Mugwumps" before hitting it big, she married one of its members, James Hendricks, to help him avoid the draft. The marriage was never consummated and was later annulled. |
| 20 | She once guest hosted The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962). |
| 21 | Hated being called 'Mama' Cass, which she took as a derogatory comment on her 300+ poundage. Additionally, it bothered her that the moniker led many to mistakenly assume Cass was her last name. |
| 22 | Her sister, Leah Kunkel, became the legal guardian of her daughter, Owen Elliot-Kugell (born in on 26 April 1967), upon her death in 1974. |
| 23 | Recording six albums after she went solo, she teamed briefly (and unsuccessfully) in 1971 with musician Dave Mason. |
| 24 | Buried at Mount Sinai Memorial Park, Los Angeles, California - Court of Tanach, Lot 5000, Grave 2F. |
| 25 | An urban legend arose that she died choking on a ham sandwich because a partially eaten ham sandwich was found by her bed. When police were asked the cause of death prior to an autopsy, they speculated that she either died of a heart attack or choked to death on a ham sandwich, but she officially died of a heart attack. The autopsy revealed that a full third of her heart muscle had degenerated; bandmate Denny Doherty said later "Cassie literally died of a broken heart.". |
| 26 | Born at 9:0pm-EDT |
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|
| The Blacklist | 2015 | TV Series performer - 1 episode |
| Slash 2 | 2014 | performer: "Make Your Own Kind of Music" - as Mama Cass |
| Leap Year | 2010 | performer: "DREAM A LITTLE DREAM OF ME" |
| Horizon | 2009 | TV Series documentary performer - 1 episode |
| Qwerty | 2008 | TV Series performer - 1 episode |
| Lost | 2007-2008 | TV Series performer - 2 episodes |
| Dancing with the Stars | 2006 | TV Series 1 episode |
| Home of Phobia | 2004 | performer: "Make Your Own Kind of Music" - as "Mama" Cass Elliot |
| Ed | 2002 | TV Series performer - 1 episode |
| Zingo | 1998 | performer: "DREAM A LITTLE DREAM OF ME" |
| Beautiful Thing | 1996 | performer: "One Way Ticket", "California Earthquake", "Make Your Own Kind Of Music", "It's Getting Better", "Welcome To The World", "Move In a Little Closer Baby" |
| L'Amour | 1973 | performer: "Theme from L'Amour" |
| Doctors' Wives | 1971 | performer: "The Costume Ball" - as Mama Cass Elliot |
| Monte Walsh | 1970 | performer: "The Good Times Are Comin" - as Mama Cass |
| Pufnstuf | 1970 | performer: "DIFFERENT" |
| Last Summer | 1969 | performer: "Safari Mary" |
| Andy Williams' Kaleidoscope Company | 1968 | TV Movie performer: "Medley: Words of Love", "I Had a King" |
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|
| The History of Rock 'n' Roll | 1995 | TV Series documentary | Herself |
| California My Way | 1974 | TV Movie | Herself (as Cass Elliott) |
| The Mike Douglas Show | 1970-1974 | TV Series | Herself / Herself - Co-Host |
| The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson | 1963-1974 | TV Series | Herself / Herself - Guest / Herself - Guest Host / ... |
| Energy Crisis | 1974 | TV Movie | Herself - Singer (as Cass Elliott) |
| The Dean Martin Show | 1973 | TV Series | Herself |
| Match Game 73 | 1973 | TV Series | Herself - Panelist |
| The New Scooby-Doo Movies | 1973 | TV Series | Herself |
| Don't Call Me Mama Anymore | 1973 | TV Special | Host (as 'Mama' Cass Elliot) |
| Get Happy | 1973 | TV Movie | Herself (as 'Mama' Cass Elliot) |
| The Julie Andrews Hour | 1972 | TV Series | Herself |
| The Carol Burnett Show | 1970-1972 | TV Series | Herself |
| Laugh-In | 1972 | TV Series | Herself |
| Dinah's Place | 1972 | TV Series | Herself |
| The Hollywood Squares | 1972 | TV Series | Herself |
| The Midnight Special | 1972 | TV Series | Herself |
| The Monty Hall Smokin-Stokin' Fire Brigade | 1972 | TV Special | Herself (as 'Mama' Cass Elliot) |
| The Rolf Harris Show | 1972 | TV Series | Herself |
| The Andy Williams Show | 1969-1971 | TV Series | Herself |
| New American Bandstand 1965 | 1966-1971 | TV Series | Herself |
| Headshop | 1971 | TV Series | Herself (as 'Mama' Cass Elliot) |
| The Don Knotts Show | 1970 | TV Series | Herself |
| The Ed Sullivan Show | 1966-1970 | TV Series | Singer |
| The Johnny Cash Show | 1969-1970 | TV Series | Herself - Singer |
| The David Frost Show | 1970 | TV Series | Herself |
| The Rosey Grier Show | 1970 | TV Series | Herself |
| The Ray Stevens Show | 1970 | TV Series | Herself |
| It's Lulu | 1970 | TV Series | Herself |
| Get It Together | 1970 | TV Series | Herself - Host / Herself |
| The John Davidson Show | 1970 | TV Series | Herself |
| Music Scene | 1969 | TV Series | Herself - Special Guest Host |
| This Is Tom Jones | 1969 | TV Series documentary | Herself |
| The Hollywood Palace | 1969 | TV Series | Herself - Singer |
| The Mama Cass Television Program | 1969 | TV Special | Herself - Host (as 'Mama' Cass Elliot) |
| The 41st Annual Academy Awards | 1969 | TV Special | Herself - Audience Member |
| Monterey Pop | 1968 | Documentary | Performers (as Mamas and the Papas) |
| The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour | 1967-1968 | TV Series | Herself |
| Andy Williams' Kaleidoscope Company | 1968 | TV Movie | Herself |
| NBC Experiment in Television | 1968 | TV Series | Herself |
| ABC Stage 67 | 1967 | TV Series | Herself |
| Screen Test #3 | 1966 | Short | Herself (uncredited) |
| Screen Test #4 | 1966 | Short | Herself (uncredited) |
| Where the Action Is | 1966 | TV Series | Herself |
| Hullabaloo | 1966 | TV Series | Herself |
| Shindig! | 1965 | TV Series | Herself - Singer |
| The Danny Kaye Show | 1963 | TV Series | Herself |
| Talent Scouts | 1963 | TV Series | Herself |
| Hootenanny | 1963 | TV Series | Herself |
