Danielle Spencer, the actress who infused life into the sharp-tongued little sister Dee Thomas on the popular 1970s TV show What’s Happening!!, has passed on at age 60.
Her family representative, Sandra Jones, confirmed she died Monday after a decades-long battle with cancer.
For fans of the show, Dee wasn’t just a side character, she was the wisecracking, no-nonsense sibling who could level her big brother Roger “Raj” Thomas and his friends Dwayne Nelson and Freddie “Rerun” Stubbs with a single look or a perfectly timed jab. Her trademark line, “Ooh, I’m gonna tell mama,” became a cultural moment in itself.
What’s Happening!!, which was based in the Los Angeles community of Watts, was among the earliest sitcoms to focus on the lives of Black teens.
Loosely based on the 1975 movie Cooley High, it was on ABC from 1976 to 1979 and took its place in TV history as a result of its lovable characters, Raj in his glasses and goofy charm, Dwayne and his catchphrases, Rerun and his red beret and dance skills, and Dee and her deadpan one-liners.
Spencer’s experience on the show was also marred by tragedy at the beginning. During filming in the first season, while only 12 years old, she was involved in a ghastly car accident along the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu. The incident left her in a coma for three weeks and resulted in the death of her stepdad, Tim Pelt. It also led to spinal and neurological damage that necessitated numerous surgeries throughout the years.
In 2018, years following that accident, she had a bleeding hematoma that resulted from the crash—a direct consequence of the crash, requiring emergency surgery. She could only utter very little and was forced to walk with crutches, her family representative revealed at that time. These were not new for her; as far back as 2004, Spencer had mobility issues that left her, at some point, dependent on a wheelchair, requiring her to relearn walking.
Her physical struggles did not stop there. In 2014, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a double mastectomy. But with all these issues, Spencer still had an image in show business. She returned in the mid-1980s revival What’s Happening Now!!, which lasted for three years, and even worked as a veterinarian in the 1997 Jack Nicholson movie As Good as It Gets.
But Spencer’s life extended beyond acting. She established a second career as a veterinarian with equal sharp-mindedness and dedication that made her a scene-stealer on television. She attended the University of California, Davis, and UCLA, then earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Tuskegee University in 1993. Her passion for animals translated into a lifetime commitment, and she was a dedicated advocate for their well-being.
Although her passing is a tragic loss for the audience and the entertainment industry, her memory as Dee, the little sister who could tackle anyone with an elevated brow and a sarcasm-filled line, will never be forgotten. Danielle Spencer is a testament to endurance, ability, and unforgettable presence both in front of and behind the camera.
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