Are they seed grown?

Hollyhocks flower the second year being biannual. The first years growth is all about establishing a good vigorous root.

Pimpernel is right. I grew mine easily from seed. They come up every year and make a lovely show at the end of my allotment. The leaves do tend to turn brown in August, I dont know the reason for this, as remember seeing them in cottage gardens years ago and the leaves were not brown.

Slightly disagree Pimpernel. Hollyhocks are a short lived perennial. I have had some flower for 5 years. Also, if started early enough in the warm (about late Jan, early Feb, they will flower the first year. To re-flower they need a winter cold spell.

they weren't from seed, i had gotten them several years ago from a nursery, they did flower in the beginning but haven't flowered in the last few years...

What USDA zone are you in Pat? Do you have nice cold winters? See my previous.

i am in central wisconsin, and yes cold winters, wondering about digging them up and moving them or just getting rid of them...

I have always treated Hollyhocks as a biannual Sarraceniac, although I agree if started early as you say, they will flower first year.

Hmm Pat. They should flower then, Wisconsin isn't exactly Florida.Lol. Unless you are desperate for the space I would give them another try next year after giving them a high potassium feed in winter. Based on another question that arose today but is relevant to this problem, you could try chopping up some banana peel and just gently raking that into the ground round each plant. It can go in when you like and the peel will rot down releasing its potassium to feed in spring. Sounds weird but it will encourage flowering, and we don't like giving (and digging) up on GoY. :o)) If you do keep them then let us know how you you get on with that.

I bought a packet of Hollyhock 'Antwerp Mixed' (available by post from Thompson and Morgan) from our GC today to grow a new range of plants in deeper colours. Claim to be strongly resistant to rust. Am sowing now for plants to put out in the Autumn in UK. This different variety might be more successful in Wisconsin.
I like the Banana peel idea.

Forming a head like a cabbage sounds like a severe aphid problem, to me. They are nearly invisible when starting, since they attack the youngest leaves at the center of the rosette, and quickly distort the leaves to hide from predators.
Rust normally causes the plant to turn yellow and brown, starting from the older leaves. Rust also leaves dark brown pustules on the undersides of the leaves, which release dark brown powder when handled.

The only thing that puzzles me with that, Tugbrethil, is that apparently this has been happening for a few years. Aphids would normally move on in winter when the plant dies down and goes dormant or kill the plant and then move on. Also, other plants in the area would be affected. It could be some strange fungal disease that stays in the rhizome over winter but I've never heard of one. As you say, it certainly isn't rust, the most common fungal disease of hollyhocks, so it is very confusing. Any chance of putting up a photo Pat?