Mamma Cass

The legend that was Cass Elliot

Cass Elliot (Mamma Cass as she was better known) was a singer and member of the folk rock band The Mamas and Papas. Sadly her on stage talent masked her tragic life story. Unrequited love, bullying, secret trysts and a very real struggle with her size.

Her entire life was one huge struggle with her self image, which stayed with her until her final song and the cruel myth that still lives on today. Despite her large personality, incredible and undeniable talent her life was one of insecurities, social judgement and harsh realities of being a star.

Early Life & Struggles

Born Ellen Naomi Cohen, in Baltimore in 1941 to a family of Jewish – Russian immigrants, life was difficult for her growing up, yet despite this there was always something about her, something that showed she was destined for greatness. She shone with a radiant personality and her talent was always obvious. But she had her demons, her weight struggles from a very young age played a huge part in these along with the stigma that comes with this, sadly this would continue all her life.

When she started at high school she found a group of people that allowed her talents to soar, she developed a love of theatre and performance. This is where her name Cass Elliot came from, taking part from the legendary actress Peggy Cass and a friend who had sadly passed away. It became her alter ego and gave her the confidence needed to perform.

Cass Elliot, The beginning

Bursting with this new confidence, Cass decided to drop out of high school and move to New York to pursue a career in acting. Sadly Broadway wasn’t very kind to her, she was rejected over and over for roles because of her size and look. Finally after losing out on a role to an at the time unknown Barbara Streisand, she took a step back and she turned to singing, she hoped this wouldn’t be as cruel to her as theatre was, how wrong she would be. She was moderately successful and formed two bands in the early 60s these were called, The Big Three and the Mugwumps.

It was whilst singing with the Mugwumps that Cass met Denny Doherty, Cass was smitten, this was a man that she would literally follow to the ends of the earth. This was the start of many cruel twists in her love life, although desperately in love with Denny, she ended up married to one of her band members James Hendrix.

This wasn’t a marriage of love but simply convenience to help Hendrix avoid the Draft, having no love between them and their only tie to each other being the band, it wasn’t long before the Mugwumps went their separate ways and Cass struck out on her own, she did this hoping that Doherty would follow her, sadly though he didn’t.

Bullying and Mistreatment

Doherty went on to join a band called The New Journeymen, a  duo that were husband and wife, John and Michelle Philips. Cass was desperate to get into that band with him, whilst he had always rebuffed Cass because of her weight, he could not deny her pure talent and he knew that she was what the band were missing.

John though didn’t agree, he didn’t want to let Cass into the band publicly saying that her voice was too deep, and she wasn’t the right fit, however in private he was devastatingly critical of her appearance. He said she was just far too heavy to join his group.

This was a blow to Cass, it rocked her confidence even more, she had faced what she felt was society’s unfair beauty standards and had been trying to fight against them all her life. But her love for Doherty was too strong for her to simply walk away and according to Michelle Philips she followed the band wherever they went. 

As Cass continued to follow The New Journeymen they subjected her to cruel bullying, treating her worse than a groupie. They would order her around, tease her, let her rehearse with them but never allow her to actually perform. Things were about to change, though in Cass’ favour, The New Journeymen had a habit of drink and drugs that caused them to spend more on that than on anything else. When they ran out of money, they turned to the only person they knew would help them.. Cass.

They turned up at her home and she made them an offer that they simply couldn’t refuse. Regardless of her size, they would allow her into the band, or, they could sleep on the streets. (The official version is somewhat different though, whilst following them about, Cass was hit on the head by a pipe, this causing her to sing higher and now be allowed in the band.) Seemingly Cass’s way of retaining some dignity and John not wanting the world to know he fat shamed her. Whatever the real truth was, Cass was now in the band. 

Birth of the Mamas and Papas and Mamma Cass

Once Cass joined they renamed themselves the Mamas and Papas; suddenly everything changed. With Cass now singing they recorded huge hits like California Dreaming and Monday Monday. Even though Cass was now in the band, sadly the teasing about her weight did not stop, it actually got worse. They would openly mock her weight in the lyrics of their songs. In the song Creeque Alley they wrote the lyrics ‘No one’s getting fat, except Mamma Cass’; sadly this nickname (Mama Cass) stuck much to Cass’ dismay.

Whilst Cass had only joined because of her love for Doherty, he had been lusting elsewhere, John’s wife, Michelle. When he told Cass this,  she was utterly heartbroken and full of rage. She asked Phillips ‘When you can have any man in the world, why take the one man I love’.

She buried her heartache deep in her songwriting, and a dangerous amount of substances, leading to some extremely wild behaviour.

A Brush with the law

When arriving in London for a string of performances Cass was arrested and charged with stealing some bed linen. It was believed that she wasn’t actually the focus of the investigation, merely a way to get information on one of her former lovers who was wanted for possibly supplying drugs. She spent a night behind bars before all charges were dropped but this caused the Mamas and Papas to have to cancel shows, this numbered her days with them.

Going Solo & Personal Struggles

In 1968 Cass decided it was time to strike out on her own and she started what was to be her successful career, many had thought she was the heart and soul of the Mamas and Papas and were eager to see her do well and get the credit she deserved. Cass released Dream and little dream of me and Make your own kind of music. Cass landed a huge gig at Caesars Palace, a three-week, six-figure deal. This would have made her a major star, so under pressure as a solo artist Cass decided to try to slim down again.

Cass adopted a crazy diet, fasting for four days a week for seven months, she slimmed down massively but it came at the cost of her health and in the weeks leading up to her breakout show Cass became severely ill. Stars like Sammy Davis Jr, Jimi Hendrix and Mia Farrow turned up to watch this shooting star on her debut night, but due to her illness she had hardly had time to rehearse. When she stepped out on what should have been a turning point in her career, she left everyone in shock.

She fumbled her way through the performance, so weak from illness that she could hardly be heard. She had to perform two shows per night and whilst she tried to recover on her second performance, it went worse and the crowd walked out. The media was unforgiving and they were brutal, her only light now was the daughter she had just given birth to before her illness. She had managed to keep this secret and when the media found out, they again savagely attacked her in their headlines. 

Tragic Death & Legacy

Her career stalled but she would still attend a few TV performances. Things started to look up for Cass again and she found love, but it wasn’t to last and within two months it was all over as fast as it started. Cass continued with her dangerous diet and in 1974 she collapsed on the Johnny Carson Show, she put this down to exhaustion and low blood sugar and carried on.

She attended Mick Jagger’s 31st birthday party a few weeks later, she left and went to a brunch in her honour. She seemed unwell but later that evening she went to a party, she was clearly unwell and everyone was concerned. She left and went home. The next morning when Cass failed to leave her room, she was found lifeless in bed. She died from heart failure, but that myth started, that she died choking on a ham sandwich.

Cass left behind her young daughter and the secret of her father.

Despite all the struggles and heartbreak, Mama Cass left behind an unforgettable legacy. She proved that talent and charisma could shine beyond societal beauty standards. She is remembered now as one of the greatest voices of the 1960s.

In October 2022 Cass was given a posthumous Star on the Hollywood walk of fame.

Odd coincidence

Four years later, The Who drummer Keith Moon died in the same bedroom, also aged 32.

By Eska