The Mullen Sisters

American vocal group, active from the 1930s until the late 1950s The sisters Kathleen (1914–1982), Imelda (1915–1999), Mary Margaret (1912–1997), and Monica (1911–1996) Mullen started performing at a very young age, singing as a quartet in their parish church in El Dorado, Kansas. They were all born in St. Joseph, Missouri, but spent most of their childhood in Kansas. They also performed with their younger brothers Patrick and Joseph as the "Musical Mullens," and the "Six Shamrocks." The sisters received special training in music at Mount Carmel Academy in Wichita. In 1928, the family moved to Chicago, and the sisters were split to different schools. In 1931–1932, Monica and Mary worked as a sister team in the Chicago area, and were heard on the WGN and KYW radio stations while Kathleen and Imelda were still in school. In 1932, the quartet was officially established and the family moved to New York, where the sisters worked on the vaudeville circuit and radio. In the mid-1930s, Monica got married and retired from show business, after which the remaining sisters continued as a trio. The group appeared on the shows of The Marx Brothers and George White. They performed regularly on Kate Smith (2)'s show for several years, they were on the Hit Parade, and with Arthur Godfrey for two years. They recorded and performed with such artists as Russ Morgan (2), Al Goodman (2), Ray Kinney, and Charles Magnante. In the late 1950s they also did commercials. In the 1960s, they were living and occasionally involved in music projects in the Ridgewood, New Jersey, area.