Joe lost his damn mind. Blog King, Mass Appeal HOLLYWOOD -- Here's something suitable for…
Child star Danielle Spencer taken out by breast cancer
Danielle Spencer dead at 60.
Blog King, Mass Appeal
RICHMOND — “🎵It’s so hard to say goodbye to yesterday.🎵” Dr. Danielle Spencer, the child star who played Dee Thomas on the 70s family sitcom “What’s Happening!!,” has migrated to that big television studio in the sky. Damn. Gen X celebrities are droppin’ like flies. Danielle kicked the bucket on Monday amid complications from breast cancer. She was only 60. Danielle’s co-star Haywood Nelson (who played Dwayne) broke the news on Instagram. “Dr. Dee, our brilliant, loving, positive, pragmatic warrior, without fail, has finally found her release from the clutches of this world,” he wrote. “We celebrate Danielle Spencer and her contributions as we regret to inform her departure and transition from a long battle with cancer. 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.”
Danielle underwent a double mastectomy prior to her quietus. She also had emergency surgery to relieve bleeding in her brain. “She suffered for a very long time but did it with a great deal of courage,” Haywood, 65, told reporters. Holly Robinson Peete, 60, disseminated her condolences via social media. “Oh, this is just gutting,” the actress tweeted. “I’m so sad to hear about the loss of this beautiful woman who I met in 1977 when we were just 13. We hit it off immediately. We went to junior high school together.”
Dee was the sarcastic little sister of Roger “Raj” Thomas (played by Ernest Thomas) and daughter of Mabel (Mabel King).
She was a snitcher best known for saying, “Ooooh, I’m gonna tell mama,” every time Raj made a mistake.
Danielle gave up acting and became a veterinarian in 1993.
“She had a great love of animals,” Haywood recalled.
“She was like Betty White in that way.”
During a 2016 chinwag with “Hers,” Danielle spoke about the importance of choosing a métier that makes you happy.
“You really have to live life for you at that minute, and just try to have fun,” she said.
“Be lighthearted and be happy while you’re here, because you never know when that time is going to end.”
Danielle passed away at a hospital in Richmond, Virginia.
Now that she’s gone, there’s only two “What’s Happening!!” cast members still alive: Haywood and Ernest.
Fred Berry, who played Rerun, died in 2003 after suffering a stroke. He was 52.
Mabel had her limbs amputated, then died from diabetes in 1999. She was 66.
And, Shirley Hemphill (Big Shirley) died from kidney failure in 1999. She was 52.
Dr. Danielle RIP.
You’re gone but not forgotten.
Related Posts
RIP Rerun Shirley Mabel & Dee
Thanks for all the memories Dee!!!
Ecclesiastes 9:5, 6. She’s resting peacefully and will be missed.
Dogs, cats, turtles, horses, birds and animals everywhere are sad today that Dr. Danielle Spencer has left us.
💔💔💔💔💔 RIP Sweet Danielle. You fought a Good Fight and Finished Well. THANK YOU for all the years of making Us Laugh and much as We Loved You. You were One-of-a-kind in every way.
So sad, she was a part of my childhood memories 😢
Gen X been taking a lot of hits lately, a lot of stars from our childhood has been transitioning 😢
WHAT’S HAPPENING!! was one of THE shows we grew up on livin’ in the late 70’s early 80’s. The cast was spot on and everyone fit into their roles so well you’d wished you were staying up the road from them. We never know when we are leaving this earth so make everyday count. Danielle Spencer was a gifted child actor in the show and had some of the best wise-cracks and comebacks ever on sitcom. Fly to heaven on wings of gold, Dee.
😢 Damn first we lose everybody’s favorite big brother (brother Malcolm) and now we lose everybody’s absolute favorite annoying little sister (sister Danielle). May they both R.I.Paradise.
I had no idea she became a Veterinarian! This is the stuff that bothers me about “entertainment,” where they love to highlight the child actor failures and they don’t talk about the life success stories. And people can’t give her the flowers she deserved while she was alive. Man…
I Loved me some Dee. 😢Rest On. Love. ❤She remind me so much of my Beloved niece Felicia. Acted just like Dee. Sort of favor her too. They both Resting Now. Praying🙏 for the family In God loving care. Amen.❤
She was the best character – always ready to give a snide remark.
PLEASE PUT SOME RESPECT ON THIS WOMAN’S NAME!!!! Dr. Danielle Spencer, you are gone but will NEVER be forgotten. Although we can always see on in reruns of “What’s Happening,” we thank you for being a positive role model regarding what the transition to “child actor” to adult looks like. You were beautiful, intelligent, and touched the lives of more than you know. My heartfelt condolences are with your family and friends during this very difficult time. Take comfort in God’s promise at Isaiah 25:18 and Revelation 21: 1-5. In those scriptures, God PROMISES to swallow up death forever and to wipe away the tears from all faces because he will end death forever. We know that God’s promises are trustworthy because Titus 1:2 states that “It is IMPOSSIBLE for God to lie.” 📖🙏❤❤❤
I am such a big fan of Danielle Spencer. Watching her play Dee was so much fun as a kid. Then seeing her become Dr. Danielle Spencer a caring veterinarian was so inspiring. RIP to a beautiful, talented and giving person. My condolences to he family and friends. 💔💔
Dang, another one gone! First Theo, now Dee. 2025 ain’t playing. It’s taking people outta here. Rest in Peace, Danielle Spencer a.k.a Dee Thomas!
She’s everyone’s favorite little kid sister and she will be missed. ❤
This is shocking. She’s the same age as my mom. My Mom is going through lung cancer. Rest in heavenly peace Ms. Spencer.
If anyone saw Cooley High, Danielle portrayed the role of Cocheese’s little sister.
She made the show! ❤
Alot of people born in the 60’s are dying young omg 😢.
😮❤❤❤❤one of my FAVORITE shows as a kid!!! So much entertainment and laughs her character provided.
GOD BLESS 😢 BEAUTIFUL QUEEN
REST IN PEACE 💔🙏
Loved Dee and her tude! R. I. P. 😢
1st Malcolm, now Danielle. May both rest in peace.
Did she have any children?
@Joanna Ellis: No, she didnt have any children.
Amazing woman….thank you Jesus for her spirit 🎉🎉🎉❤
RIP Danielle Spencer❤🙏🌹
Dee was truly gifted
RIP🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾
Dee was a mess…I loved her
They were all great! Danielle, Mabel King, Shirley Hemphill and the guys.
Dee was the original queen of sarcasm. She sure knew how to shake people down for a quarter.
This hurts, for every man that had a little sister that would threaten to snitch or pay up 🙏❤️
Losing her and Malcolm Jamal Warner not too far apart is just too much for us Gen X kids!! We are losing our hero’s 😢
I used to watch “What’s Happening ” all the time growing up, loved that show. RIP Danielle, you played the role of the “little sister” perfect! These 70’s shows were SO good, they don’t make ’em like that anymore, they just don’t.
Dee was the funniest to me. ❤
I have been a Danielle Spencer Fan for 25 years.❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
She was easily the funniest character in the show.
I am truly impressed by her career as a veterinarian. Not easy at all. It’s a mark of superior intellect & superior moral character.
We were so lucky to have her caring for our pets!♡
She will be greatly missed by many~