How many times was John Phillips married? Daughter Mackenzie Phillips incest allegation, net worth and more explored

John and his daughter Mackenzie had a troubled relationship (Image via Getty)

John Phillips, more popular as Papa John Phillips, died on March 18, 2001, as a folk rock legend, only to have his reputation marred by his daughter Mackenzie Phillips, who accused him of incest. His moniker connects to the band, the Mamas & the Papas. Some of his most famous songs are Me and My Uncle, California Dreamin, Monday Monday, and San Fransisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair). Besides writing most of his vocal group’s compositions, John was one of the chief organizers of the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival.

In 2009, eight years after John’s death, Mackenzie came out with her memoir, High on Arrival, where she alleged her father of making incestuous advances and the consensual affair continued for ten years. She read excerpts from her book and spoke about it at The Oprah Winfrey Show in September 2009. John had four marriages and Mackenzie was his daughter from his first wife.

How much was John Phillips worth at the time of his death?

A file picture of band members Doherty and Michelle with John (Image credit mptvimages)

At the time of his death, John Phillips was estimated to hold a net worth of $10 million. The main source of his immense wealth came from his musical career, which included his vocal band, royalties from songwriting, and some business endeavors. He also published an autobiography in 1986, titled Papa John, which went on to become a best-seller.

Besides his band, he also released many solo numbers. Moreover, one of his successful businesses is the Los Angeles restaurant named “Papa John’s” after him. While he amassed a huge fortune, his charity towards environment conservation towards organizations like The Nature Conservancy and Greenpeace earned him the fame of a philanthropist.

How many times was John Phillips married?

John with his second wife Michelle (Image courtesy mptvimages)

John Phillips had married four times. His first wife was Susan Adams, who he married in May 1957 and had a son, Jeffrey, and a daughter, Mackenzie, from the marriage. After meeting Holy Michelle Gilliam and having an affair, his first marriage dissolved and he married Michelle in December 1962. They had a daughter Chynna Phillips together.

Michelle divorced John in 1969 after she had an affair with band member Denny Doherty. After three years, John married model and actor Genevieve Waite, his third wife, in January 1972. From this union, John had a son, Tamerlane, and a daughter, Bijou. The couple divorced in 1985.

The legend married a fourth time in February 1995. John Phillips’ fourth wife was Farnaz Arasteh, an artist and painter, who remained with him till his death.

What did Mackenzie Phillips accuse her father John Phillips of?

Expand Tweet

Besides his successful music career, John Phillips remained in the news for his alcoholism and addiction issues. He had developed health issues that required him to have a liver transplant. He died of heart failure caused by health complications from his addictions.

Almost eight years after his death, his daughter Mackenzie Phillips published her memoir accusing her father of having a consensual physical relationship with her for a decade.

While John’s family is divided on the late revelations made public on the show hosted by Oprah Winfrey after the book went onto stands, Mackenzie claims to have forgiven the episode. As such, John’s former wives, Michelle and Genevieve, refused to believe Mackenzie’s claims.

John and his daughter Mackenzie (Image credit IMDb and Netflix)

While Genevieve’s daughter can’t relate to her father indulging in any such act, Michelle’s daughter Chynna believes Mackenzie and stands by her. However, band member Denny Doherty’s daughter Jessica Woods claimed that her father knew and was horrified by the awful truth about what John had done.

Mackenzie continues to act as well as counsel on addiction. She featured in shows on Netflix and many movies in the last decade.

John Phillips received his Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs California, Walk of Stars in 1996. In 1998, his band, the Mamas and the Papas, was inducted into the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame. The band was then included in the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2000.