Danielle Spencer, the former child star best known for her role in “What’s Happening!!,” has died. She was 60.
Spencer’s death was announced by her co-star Haywood Nelson on Tuesday.
“Brilliance! It comes in a great many forms. We all have them, and we all have this family’s — Dr. Danielle Spencer (June 24, 1965 – August 11, 2025),” Nelson, 65, wrote.
“Dr. Dee, our brilliant, loving, positive, pragmatic warrior, without fail, has finally found her release from the clutches of this world and a body,” the actor continued. “We celebrate Danielle Spencer and her contributions as we regret to inform her departure and transition from a long battle with cancer.”
Nelson’s statement added, “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. She will be missed in this form and forever embraced,” Nelson said in conclusion.
Spencer played Dee Thomas, the sassy younger sister of the Thomas family, on “What’s Happening!!” The series, which was loosely based on the 1975 film “Cooley High, aired on ABC from 1976 to 1979.
The cast also included Ernest Thomas as Raj Thomas, Nelson as Dwayne Clemens Nelson, Fred Berry as Freddie “Rerun” Stubbs, Mabel King as Mabel “Mama” Thomas and Shirley Hemphill as Shirley Wilson.
In 1985, the show was revived as a sequel series,
The series
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