Danielle Spencer, beloved ‘What’s Happening!! fame passes away at 60

Danielle Spencer, beloved ‘What’s Happening!! fame passes away at 60

Danielle Spencer, best known for her role as Dee Thomas in the 1970s ABC sitcom What’s Happening!!, has died at the age of 60. Her co-star, Haywood Nelson, confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that she passed away Monday at a hospital in Richmond, Virginia.

Spencer’s health struggles were well known. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014, leading to a double mastectomy. In 2018, she underwent emergency surgery to prevent a cerebral hemorrhage. A GoFundMe campaign was launched during her illness to help with medical expenses.

“We have lost a daughter, sister, family member, What’s Happening!! cast member, veterinarian, animal rights proponent and healer, and cancer heroine,” Nelson wrote in a heartfelt Instagram tribute. “Our Shero. Danielle is loved. She will be missed in this form and forever embraced.” He added that Spencer “suffered for a very long time but did it with a great deal of courage.”

What’s Happening!!, co-produced by Bud Yorkin and inspired by the 1975 film Cooley High, premiered in August 1976. The lighthearted series followed three teenage friends navigating life in Los Angeles. Spencer’s character, Dee Thomas, became a fan favorite for her quick wit and memorable catchphrase, “Ooooh, I’m gonna tell Mama!” Dee was the younger sister of Roger “Raj” Thomas (Ernest Thomas) and daughter of Mabel (Mabel King). Nelson portrayed the good-natured Dwayne.

Spencer reprised her role in the 1985 sequel series What’s Happening Now!!, which ran for three seasons. Her sharp comedic timing and charm ensured her place as one of television’s most memorable child stars.

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Born Danielle Luise Spencer on June 24, 1965, in New York City, she was raised by her stepfather, actor Tim Pelt, and her mother, Cheryl, a French teacher. At just seven years old, she began performing with a repertory group co-founded by Pelt.

In 1977, tragedy struck when Spencer was involved in a five-car crash on the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu. Her stepfather was killed in the accident, and she spent weeks in critical care.

After What’s Happening!! ended, her family relocated to the Ivory Coast. Spencer attended UC Davis and UCLA before enrolling in Tuskegee University’s veterinary school, earning her PhD in 1993. She even played a veterinarian in the 1997 film As Good as It Gets, a role reflecting her real-life career. Nelson once remarked that her love for animals was “like Betty White in that way.”

In 2004, Spencer developed a spinal condition believed to be linked to her earlier car accident, leaving her temporarily paralyzed from the waist down. Despite these challenges, she remained resilient and deeply committed to helping animals.