The Horrifying Rumor Everyone Believed
Cass Elliot, or Mama Cass, was a member of the Mamas & the Papas—and when she tragically passed, a horrifying rumor went around that she'd choked on a ham sandwich. For years, so many fans believed this awful tale. However, nothing could have been further from the truth.
Looking For Clues In The Past
So, what truly happened to Cass Elliot? To unpack the drama of her sad end, we must take a quick look at her troubled past. In 1968—just six years before her death—the singer's health took a terrifying turn.
RCA Records, Wikimedia Commons
Dangerous Crash Diets
In preparation for her live solo debut at Caesar's Palace, Elliot made the drastic decision to go on a six-month crash diet. But she dropped 100 pounds too quickly—and paid a high price.
Her Body Rebelled
As a result of her dangerous diet, Elliot wound up with throat issues and a stomach ulcer. To treat these painful problems, she began drinking cream and milk, which caused her to regain 50 pounds. Losing and then gaining weight so rapidly did a number on her system. But the worst was yet to come.
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She Stayed In Bed
The road to her solo debut was a treacherous one. Leading up to her performance, Elliot stayed in bed for three weeks as the rest of her team tried to prepare for such a high-stakes show. Three days before the big performance, she experienced another cruel twist of fate.
She Lost Her Voice
On top of her poor health, Elliot began to lose the one thing she needed to pull off this performance—her voice. But no amount of tea and lemon could save her from one of the most horrifying nights of her life.
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A Nightmare Performance
October 16, 1968—the day of Cass Elliot's debut at Caesar's Palace—was unbelievably brutal. Unprepared and fighting a fever, she faced an audience filled with some of the biggest names in the business, like Liza Minnelli, Jimi Hendrix, and Joan Baez.
To say it went badly is an understatement...
She Could Barely Make A Sound
Cass Elliot was known for her stunning vocals, but that night, people could barely hear her. It was bad. And that was more than enough reason for the press to tear her to shreds, calling her performance "a disaster" and "an embarrassing drag".
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The Press Was Unforgiving
Newsweek was so cruel as to compare her to the sinking of the Titanic, writing, "Like some great ocean liner embarking on an ill-fated maiden voyage, Mama Cass slid down the waves and sank to the bottom".
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
She Was Deeply Depressed
Cass Elliot's show wound up canceled, and later it came out that she'd allegedly taken some illicit substances right before she took to the stage. Not only did this horror show humiliate the singer, but it also sent her spiraling into a dark depression.
She Was Exhausted
Though Elliot continued to work in the intervening years leading up to her death, she was never able to turn the tide when it came to her health. Before her appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in 1974, she collapsed from what seemed to be exhaustion.
She had no clue that she had only months left.
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She Had A Short-Lived Comeback
Right before that fatal day, Cass Elliot experienced a comeback that caused her to cry tears of happiness. After the disaster of Caesar's Palace, she did a series of shows at the London Palladium, which were a massive success. This should have been the beginning of something amazing—but it was actually the end of everything.
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She Partied For 24 Hours
To celebrate her success, Cass Elliot decided to celebrate. It would be 24 hours of straight partying, beginning with a visit to Mick Jagger's place in Chelsea, London. It was the rock star's 31st birthday. But this was only the first stop for Elliot.
Rogers, Cowan and Brenner, Wikimedia Commons
She Kept Going
Up next, Cass Elliot continued to let the good times roll. She attended a brunch planned by Georgia Brown. But this was where the red flags began to wave.
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She Struggled To Breathe
Reportedly, while enjoying her special brunch, Cass Elliot didn't seem to be doing so well. Not only was she struggling to take a decent breath—but she was also coughing and blowing her nose. However, this didn't stop her from enjoying herself.
Her Last Cocktail Party
Though she seemed to be unwell, Elliot continued to Jack Martin's cocktail party. By this time, it was obvious that she had been partying for way too long—and though she still had some pep in her step, she was completely burned out and ill.
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One Final Goodbye
On Sunday, July 28, Cass Elliot finally decided to wrap up her long day of celebrating. She left Jack Martin's party at 8 pm... Nobody realized that they'd be saying goodbye to Elliot for the last time.
She Passed In Her Sleep
Cass Elliot crashed at an apartment that belonged to Harry Nilsson, a singer-songwriter. But after she closed her eyes, she never woke up. Only hours after the fun had ended, 32-year-old Elliot passed in her sleep. However, this wasn't the end of her story.
Egghead06, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
She Left Her Daughter Behind
The loss of Cass Elliot was a tragedy in more ways than one. It also meant that her seven-year-old daughter Owen Elliot-Kugell had to grow up without her mother, whose death haunted her in a shocking way.
The Sandwich Rumor Made Its Rounds
A rumor went around that became mistaken for a fact: Cass Elliot had died from choking on a sandwich. Her daughter Owen later confessed, “In my younger years, when people would talk to me about my mom, it was always about the stupid sandwich".
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
Looking For Answers
Constantly asked about her mother's cause of death, Owen eventually decided to get some answers and "discern fact from fiction". One woman from her mother's life held the key.
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Investigating The Source Of The Rumor
Owen investigated one of the rumor's sources—the book Hollywood Secrets and Scandals that made the claim in the first place. Oddly enough, the book had been written by one of Cass Elliot's close friends, Sue Cameron.
In speaking to Cameron, Owen unearthed the dark truth.
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Her Manager Broke The News
According to Sue Cameron, when she called Elliot at her London apartment, she reached Allan Carr instead. Carr was Elliot's manager and delivered the devastating news that the singer had passed. But what he said next changed everything.
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He Asked Her To Lie
Cameron remembered, "He was crying and upset and he said, ‘There’s a half-eaten ham sandwich on the nightstand.'" But that wasn't all. Carr also made a wild request. He told Cameron, “You have to do this. Just say she died choking on the sandwich".
CBS Television, Wikimedia Commons
A Moment Of Panic
Owen believes that Carr didn't want any rumors about illicit substances to circulate: "So many of my mother’s peers had died from drug overdoses. Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison. And I think Allan was afraid they’d make the same assumption".
In a moment of desperation, he decided to concoct the infamous sandwich story.
Multiple Factors
Owen herself can't dismiss the possibility that her mother may have done substances in the past, which may or may not have contributed to her health and eventual demise. The official autopsy, however, revealed something quite surprising.
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It Was A Heart Attack That Did Her In
However, according to the autopsy, there wasn't anything in Cass Elliot's system when she passed. She had simply suffered a heart attack.
Globe Photos, Wikimedia Commons
Moving On
Though many have criticized the rumor about Cass Elliot and the sandwich, Owen has come to peace with it: “I really believe they were protecting her legacy. And they were trying to protect me. And in a weird way, I’m grateful for that crazy story. As much as it caused me grief, and people made jokes, I now realize it kept her relevant and ready to shine again".
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
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