Free-Spirited Facts About Michelle Phillips, The California Dream Girl
When Michelle Phillips joined the Mamas & the Papas, she might have known drama would follow. She just had no idea how much.
1. She Was A Rock Goddess
As a member of the tumultuous 1960s folk group the Mamas & the Papas, Michelle Phillips was involved in some of the biggest feuds and breakdowns in rock history. In fact, despite her angelic face, she was at the very center of the drama—and when the group broke up, her scandals just grew bigger.
2. Her Childhood Was Ruined
Michelle Phillips has lived no ordinary life, and it all began when she was still just a child. At the age of five, her mother suffered a fatal brain aneurysm, and afterward, her father Gardner “Gil” Gilliam swept up Michelle and her sister first to Mexico then back to their native LA again in an itinerant, bohemian life.
But during these formative years, Michelle was learning unsettling lessons.
3. Her Father Had One Huge Vice
By Michelle’s own account, her father Gil was an extremely positive presence in her life, teaching her discipline and care. His behavior behind bedroom doors, though, was something else entirely. Throughout her childhood, she watched as her father took woman after woman to bed with almost compulsive frequency.
This would end up having a profound effect on her, but not before she witnessed something even worse.
4. She Met A Hollywood Horror Story
When she was 13 years old, Michelle met Tamar Hodel, a much older Hollywood socialite whose father Dr George Hodel was (and remains) the prime suspect in the infamous Black Dahlia slaying. Despite this ignominious lineage and Tamar’s own troubled life, Michelle admitted, “I took one look and said, New best friend!”
For better or for worse, Tamar would seal her fate.
