Spencer was known for her role as Dee Thomas in the ABC sitcom “What’s Happening!!” and her catch phrase, “Ooooh, I’m gonna tell Mama!”
WASHINGTON — Danielle Spencer, known for her role as Dee Thomas in the ABC sitcom “What’s Happening!!,” has died. She was 60.
Spencer died Monday, according to her co-star Haywood Nelson.
“Brilliance appears in numerous forms, and we all possess it, just like this family’s cherished member, Dr. Danielle Spencer (June 24, 1965 – August 11, 2025),” Nelson shared on Instagram. “Our incredible Dr. Dee, full of love, positivity, and resilience, has finally been freed from the confines of this world and her physical form. We honor Danielle Spencer and her contributions while we mourn her passing after a lengthy fight with cancer.”
“We have lost a beloved daughter, sister, family member, former ‘What’s Happening!!’ cast mate, veterinary professional, animal rights advocate, and courageous cancer fighter. Our hero. Danielle is dearly loved and will be sorely missed, though always remembered,” Nelson continued.
Spencer received a breast cancer diagnosis in 2014, leading to a double mastectomy. Four years later, she faced an emergency brain surgery due to bleeding complications.
The former child actress played Dee Thomas, the typical pesky younger sister, in the 1970s ABC sitcom “What’s Happening!!,” gaining recognition with her memorable line, “Ooooh, I’m gonna tell Mama!”
In 1977, Spencer and her stepfather, actor Tim Pelt, were in a tragic accident that resulted in her spending weeks in intensive care. Pelt lost his life in the incident.
“I never had the opportunity to bid farewell to my stepfather, Daddy Tim, whom I adored and who guided me in the entertainment industry as a child in New York,” Spencer revealed in her 2010 memoir, Through the Fire … Journal of a Child Star, as reported by the Hollywood Reporter.
After her time on “What’s Happening!!,” the actress went on to become a veterinarian for 20 years.
Spencer suffered paralysis as a result of the car accident years later, eventually needing surgery and physical therapy to be able to walk with crutches.
In 2014, Spencer was inducted into the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. According to a GoFundMe page set up to help cover medical expenses for the actress in 2018, Spencer has the distinction of being the first Black female child to star regularly in a television series.
