Wellness That Matters: Black Health News & Community Care
- As a child actor, Dr. Danielle Spencer began acting at seven; appeared in Serpico and became Dee on What’s Happening.
- During production she suffered a five-car accident; her stepfather died and she spent three weeks in a coma, followed by extensive therapy.
- Earned veterinary degrees at UC Davis and Tuskegee University; practiced for two decades and hosted a pet-care segment on WTVR-TV.
- Faced further health crises: spinal paralysis, breast cancer with double mastectomy, emergency hematoma surgery; supporters launched a GoFundMe.
Dr. Danielle Spencer, who was wise beyond her years as Dee Thomas in the 1970s sitcom “What’s Happening,” has died. She was 60 years old. Her friend and co-star, Haywood Nelson, told The Hollywood Reporter that she passed away in Richmond, Virginia, on Monday, August 11. She died after a long battle with cancer.
Spencer’s First Role Was in the Movie Serpico
According to Deadline, Danielle Spencer was born on June 24, 1965. Her mother, Cheryl, raised her along with her stepfather, Tim Pelt. Spencer began acting at seven, appearing in Serpico and Harry and Tonto. She landed the role of Dee, Raj’s little sister, at age 11 in What’s Happening, a sitcom loosely based on the film Cooley High.
The Young Actress Was a Breakout Star
But in the show, Spencer played Dee, who was the sassy younger sister of Roger “Raj” Thomas (played by Ernest Thomas) and the daughter of Mabel (played by Mable King). She was most known for her signature phrase, “Ooooh, I’m gonna tell Mama!”
What’s Happening!! Aired for the first time in 1976, as a four-week summer series before returning in November and then for another two seasons.
“I had never seen any young black girl in that type of spotlight, so I didn’t have a reference point in the media as to how to deal with this opportunity,” she told Jet magazine in 2014. “I was from the Bronx. What I did was use my own family as the reference on how to portray my character.”
A Tragic Car Accident Left Her in a Coma
Sadly, during the second season of production, Spencer and her stepfather were involved in a five-car accident. They were returning from seeing the movie, Star Wars.
Unfortunately, Tim Pelt was killed. And the actress fell into a coma for three weeks. InSpencer had an additional six months of physical therapy to recover.
Becoming Doctor Spencer
After What’s Happening!! and their spinoff, What’s Happening Now, were cancelled, Spencer decided on her next act. She attended UC Davis and earned a degree in veterinary science. She went on to Tuskegee University Veterinary School in Tuskegee, Alabama to become a veterinarian in 1993.
Dr. Spencer worked as a veterinarian in California for two decades before relocating to Virginia. When she got to her new city, she was back in front of the cameras. Dr.Spencer ran a pet-care segment for CBS affiliate WTVR-TV.
Dr.Spencer’s Health Challenges
In the early aughts, she developed a spinal condition that left her paralyzed for several months. But in 2014, Dr. Spencer was diagnosed with breast cancer. As a result of her diagnosis, she underwent a double mastectomy.
In 2018, she had emergency surgery to remove a bleeding hematoma—a result of the car accident that killed her stepfather. Unfortunately, she no longer had health insurance. Her loved ones launched a GoFundMe to cover Dr. Spencer’s medical expenses.
Dr. Spencer is survived by her mother and brother, Jeremy, a jazz musician.
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