Danielle Spencer, widely remembered for her role as Dee Thomas on the 1970s sitcom What’s Happening!!, passed away at the age of 60 on Monday, August 11, 2025, at a Richmond, Virginia, hospital after a long battle with cancer, according to family spokesperson Sandra Jones.
Spencer became a household name as the quick-witted, sharp-tongued younger sister Dee Thomas, delivering iconic lines like “Ooh, I’m gonna tell mama” to her brother Roger “Raj” Thomas and friends Dwayne Nelson and Freddie “Rerun” Stubbs. What’s Happening!!, which aired on ABC from 1976 to 1979, was groundbreaking as one of the first TV shows focusing on the lives of Black teenagers in Los Angeles’ Watts neighborhood, inspired by the 1975 film Cooley High.
Early life and challenges
Born in Trenton, New Jersey, and raised in New York, Spencer began acting at nine. During the first season of What’s Happening!!, the 12-year-old was in a severe car accident on the Pacific Coast Highway, which left her in a three-week coma and killed her stepfather, Tim Pelt. She endured long-term spinal and neurological issues, requiring multiple surgeries throughout her life.
Despite these hardships, Spencer pursued education and a career in veterinary medicine. She attended UC Davis and UCLA before earning a doctorate in veterinary medicine from Tuskegee University in 1993. Spencer became a veterinarian and advocate for animal rights, while occasionally returning to acting, including a veterinarian role in the 1997 Jack Nicholson film As Good as It Gets.
Tributes and legacy
Haywood Nelson, who played Dwayne, honored Spencer on Instagram: “Dr. Dee, our brilliant, loving, positive, pragmatic warrior. We have lost a daughter, sister, family member, ‘What’s Happening’ cast member, veterinarian, animal rights proponent and healer, and cancer heroine. Our Shero. Danielle is loved.”
Spencer also appeared in the 1980s reboot What’s Happening Now!!, which ran for three seasons. She survived a bleeding hematoma in 2018 linked to her 1977 car crash and had been managing mobility issues since at least 2004. In 2014, she underwent a double mastectomy following a breast cancer diagnosis.
Danielle Spencer’s legacy spans acting, veterinary medicine, and advocacy, leaving a lasting impact as both a talented performer and a courageous survivor.