Danielle Spencer, ‘What’s Happening!!’ Star and Veterinarian, Passes Away at 60
It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of Danielle Spencer, best known for her role as Dee Thomas on the ABC sitcom *What’s Happening!!* (1976–1979) and its spinoff *What’s Happening Now!!* (1985–1988). She died on August 11, 2025, at the age of 60 after a long and courageous battle with cancer.([turn0news11])
Her former co-star Haywood “Dwayne” Nelson confirmed the news and paid tribute to Spencer as “a brilliant, loving, positive, pragmatic warrior,” adding that she “will be missed in this form and forever embraced.”([turn0news11])
More Than a Child Star
- Spencer’s iconic character Dee was beloved for her quick wit and signature catchphrase, “Ooooh, I’m gonna tell Mama!”
- At age 11, she shot to fame with the role that became part of television history.
- Survived a horrific 1977 car accident that claimed her stepfather’s life and left her in a coma for three weeks. She would later suffer paralysis from those injuries.([turn0news11])
Veterinarian, Author, & Advocate
- After acting, Spencer earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Tuskegee University in 1993 and devoted her life to animal welfare.
- Author of the memoir *Through the Fire: Journal of a Child Star*, chronicling her personal hardships and triumphs.
- Honored in 2014 by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture for her legacy and resilience.([turn0news11])
Spencer is survived by her mother, Cheryl, and brother, Jeremy. She leaves behind a legacy defined by talent, perseverance, and compassion in both Hollywood and the veterinary world.
Sources: Entertainment Weekly, People.com, and Reuters.
0 Comments