Danielle Spencer, “What’s Happening!!” star, dies at 60 — Here’s what to know
Danielle Spencer, the beloved “What’s Happening!!” actress and dedicated veterinarian, remembered for her wit, warmth, and courage.
Danielle Spencer, the actress who charmed audiences as Dee Thomas on the popular 1970s ABC sitcom What’s Happening!!, has passed away at the age of 60.
Spencer died on Monday at a hospital in Richmond, Virginia, as confirmed by Fox News Digital. Her death comes after years of health challenges. Diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014, she underwent a double mastectomy. Four years later, she required emergency brain surgery due to bleeding, prompting friends and fans to rally around her through a GoFundMe campaign to cover medical expenses.
“She endured so much for so long, yet faced it all with incredible courage,” said her co-star Haywood Nelson. On Tuesday, Nelson posted a heartfelt tribute on Instagram, calling Spencer “a brilliant, loving, positive, pragmatic warrior” who had finally found peace after her long battle with cancer.
Nelson described her as not only a cherished castmate but also a devoted daughter, sister, animal rights advocate, veterinarian, and “cancer heroine.” “Our Shero. Danielle is loved. She will be missed in this form and forever embraced,” he added.
Actress Holly Robinson Peete also remembered Spencer with emotion, recalling their friendship from the late 1970s. “I’m so sad to hear about the loss of this beautiful woman who I met in 1977 when we were just 13,” she wrote, reflecting on their time together in junior high school and on the What’s Happening!! set.
Spencer’s portrayal of Dee—the witty, quick-tongued younger sister of Roger “Raj” Thomas (Ernest Thomas) and daughter of Mabel (Mabel King)—made her an audience favorite, especially for her signature line, “Ooooh, I’m gonna tell Mama!” After stepping away from acting, Spencer followed her lifelong passion for animals, earning her veterinary degree in 1993.
“She had an incredible love for animals—much like Betty White,” Nelson said. That passion was something Spencer herself once shared in a 1985 Amsterdam News interview, noting her fascination with science and her natural gift for caring for animals.
In a 2016 conversation with Hers, she offered a philosophy that reflected her zest for life: “You really have to live life for you at that minute. Try to have fun. Be lighthearted and be happy while you’re here, because you never know when that time is going to end.”
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Danielle Spencer leaves behind a legacy of laughter, compassion, and resilience—both on screen and in her life’s work.