Biography for
Michelle Phillips (I) More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

4 June 1944, Long Beach, California, USA

Birth Name

Holly Michelle Gilliam

Height

5' 7" (1.70 m)

Mini Biography

Michelle Phillips first became known as a member of the pop group, The Mamas and the Papas. She sang the Mamas and Papas song, "Dedicated To The One I Love" on a March, 1987, episode of "Knots Landing" (1979) in her role as "Anne Matheson". She is the mother of singer Chynna Phillips and ex-stepmother of actress Mackenzie Phillips.

IMDb Mini Biography By:

Spouse

Steven Zax	(2000 - present)
Robert Burch	(21 May 1978 - 1980) (divorced)
Dennis Hopper	(31 October 1970 - 8 November 1970) (divorced)
John Phillips	(31 December 1962 - 1970) (divorced) 1 child
Grainger Hines	(? - ?) (divorced) 1 child

Trivia

Mother of Chynna Phillips, Austin Hines and Aron Wilson.

Grandmother of Jamison Baldwin.

Mother-in-law of actor William Baldwin.

Was married to Dennis Hopper for 8 days.

The wildly popular The Mamas and the Papas '60s pop/folk group ("Monday, Monday" and "California Dreamin'" were their biggest hits) was comprised of Michelle and her husband at the time, John Phillips, along with 'Mama' Cass Elliot and Denny Doherty. Michelle was temporarily kicked out of the group (replaced by Jill Gibson) after it was discovered she was having an affair with the other "Papa" (Doherty), who Cass had a crush on. The fans, however, missed her and she was soon brought back, but the damage had been done and the group wasted no time in splitting up.

Former stepmother of actress Mackenzie Phillips.

Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 (as a member of The Mamas and the Papas).

Ranked #23 on VH1's 100 Greatest Women of Rock N Roll

Grew up partly in Mexico City where her father attended college on the GI Bill.

Was good friends with the Charles Manson victims Sharon Tate, Abigail Folger, Jay Sebring and Voytek Frykowski.

When The Mamas and the Papas were in the Bahamas and couldn't afford the flight back to the US, she won 17 straight shoots at a crap table, coming out with enough money to buy first-class airplane tickets for everybody.

Sang at Denny Doherty's funeral, whose death made her the only surviving member of The Mamas and the Papas (2007).

Born to Joyce Leon, née Poole, an accountant, and Gardner Burnett Gilliam, a merchant marine.

Personal Quotes

I will say this about Dennis Hopper: We were married for eight days and truly . . . they were the happiest days of my life.

[about her friend 'Mama' Cass Elliot] There will never be anyone like her in my lifetime. I will never have a friend like her, or an influence like her. And I will never hear another voice like hers.

I don't mind feeling naked. I'm fine with nothing.

[asked what word comes to mind when she looks into a mirror] Lucky.

Where Are They Now

(1986) Release of her autobiography, "California Dreamin': The True Story of the Mamas and the Papas".

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