John Phillips is credited as the group's main songwriter and arranger. John Edmund Andrew Phillips was born in in 1935 in South Carolina. Phillips was a member of the group The Journeymen trio from 1960 to1964, and formed The New Journeymen in 1964, with wife Michelle Phillips and fellow "Papa" Denny Doherty. Phillips died in 2001 at age 65. He had been married three times and had five children. Two of them, Mackenzie Phillips and Bijou Phillips, were successful actresses.
Michelle Phillips was a California girl, born in 1944. She met John Phillips when she was 16 and he was 25 (married with two children). Their affair led to John's first divorce. She is often credited with having helped John Phillips complete song lyrics in the early days of The Mamas and The Papas. Michelle went on to have a reasonably successful career as a singer and actress. As of 2011, her credits included appearances in "Knot's Landing," "Beverly Hills 90210," "The California Kid" and "Valentino."
Dennis Gerrard Stephen Doherty was the sole Canadian in the group. He was born in 1940, in Nova Scotia. Doherty had minor musical success with bands in Canada. Denny joined John and Michelle Phillips to fill a void in their group, The New Journeymen. During the early success of The Mamas and The Papas, Doherty and Michelle Phillips had an affair that led to Michelle's temporary firing from the group. Denny died in 2007. He was married twice and had three children.
Perhaps the most recognized member of The Mamas and The Papas, Cass Elliot was born Ellen Naomi Cohen in Maryland, in 1941. Elliot was with The Big Three and The Mugwumps prior to joining The Mamas and The Papas. John Phillips was against Cass joining the group, mainly due to her size, but was convinced to include her by her friend Doherty, according to interviews given later by Doherty and Phillips. One story claimed Cass was hit on the head and her vocal range improved, convincing John Phillips that she could join the group; Cass perpetuated that legend in a 1968 interview with "Rolling Stone." Cass had a solo career after the breakup of The Mamas and The Papas and some success acting. Cass died of a heart attack at age 32.