Slash
$90 million
Danielle Spencer’s net worth was estimated at $1 million at the time of her passing. Born Danielle Louise Spencer on June 24, 1965, she was an American actress and veterinarian best known for her role as Dee Thomas on the ABC sitcom What’s Happening!! (1976–1979) and its sequel series What’s Happening Now!! (1985–1988). Spencer passed away on August 11, 2025, at age 60, from gastric cancer and cardiac arrest at Chippenham Hospital in Richmond, Virginia.
Updated March 2026: According to People magazine, Danielle Spencer passed away on August 11, 2025, in Richmond, Virginia. Tributes poured in from co-stars and fans of What’s Happening!!, celebrating her legacy as both an actress and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) who chose a second career in service to animals.
Danielle Louise Spencer was born on June 24, 1965, in Los Angeles, California. She began her professional acting career at the age of 11, landing the role of Dee Thomas — the precocious younger sister — on ABC’s What’s Happening!! in 1976. The show, which ran from 1976 to 1979 across 65 episodes, was based on the 1975 film Cooley High and centered on young African American friends coming of age in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles. It became one of the most beloved Black sitcoms of the 1970s.
After the show’s conclusion, Spencer made a transformative personal decision: she pursued veterinary medicine. She earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree from Tuskegee University in Alabama — one of the most prestigious historically Black universities and a leading institution for veterinary training in the United States — in 1993. This represented a complete professional reinvention from child stardom to medical practice.
Danielle Spencer played Dee Thomas — younger sister to Raj, played by Ernest Thomas — across all 65 episodes of What’s Happening!! from 1976 to 1979. The character was beloved for her quick wit and comedic timing, often serving as the comedic foil to her older brother. The show also starred Fred Berry (Rerun) and Haywood Nelson, and became a foundational text in the history of African American television representation.
Spencer reprised the role of Dee Thomas in the syndicated sequel What’s Happening Now!! from 1985 to 1988, appearing in 16 episodes as an adult version of the character. Outside of the What’s Happening!! franchise, her acting credits were limited, as she had by then shifted her focus toward veterinary medicine. She co-received a TV Land Award in 2006 alongside her What’s Happening!! cast members, recognizing the show’s cultural impact. Her memoir, Through the Fire: Journal of a Child Star, recounted her experiences as a young actor and her journey beyond Hollywood.
Danielle Spencer was married twice: first to Garry Fields (married 1999, divorced 2013), and subsequently to David L. David (married 2014). She had no children. Spencer built her post-Hollywood life in the Bon Air neighborhood of Richmond, Virginia, where she established her veterinary career and personal home. She was widely regarded by co-stars including Haywood Nelson, who issued a tribute following her death, as a warm and principled individual who had found genuine happiness in her second career. She passed away on August 11, 2025, at age 60, from gastric cancer and cardiac arrest, according to People magazine.
Danielle Spencer’s net worth was estimated at $1 million at the time of her passing in August 2025. Her wealth reflected earnings from her acting career on What’s Happening!! and What’s Happening Now!!, combined with decades of work as a licensed veterinarian in Richmond, Virginia. She was not known for significant wealth accumulation and prioritized a private professional life after leaving Hollywood.
Danielle Spencer was best known for playing Dee Thomas — the witty younger sister — on ABC’s What’s Happening!! (1976–1979) and the sequel What’s Happening Now!! (1985–1988). The role made her a household name in the 1970s as one of the most memorable characters in an era-defining African American sitcom. She was equally known in later life for her career as a veterinarian, having earned her DVM from Tuskegee University in 1993.
Danielle Spencer passed away on August 11, 2025, at age 60. The cause of death was gastric cancer and cardiac arrest, and she passed at Chippenham Hospital in Richmond, Virginia, according to People magazine. Her death prompted tributes from co-stars including Haywood Nelson and from fans of What’s Happening!! across social media.
Danielle Spencer was 60 years old at the time of her death on August 11, 2025. She was born Danielle Louise Spencer on June 24, 1965, in Los Angeles, California. She had been diagnosed with gastric cancer prior to her passing.
Yes. After her acting career on What’s Happening!!, Danielle Spencer earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree from Tuskegee University in 1993. Tuskegee University’s College of Veterinary Medicine is one of the most respected veterinary programs in the United States. Spencer practiced as a veterinarian in the Richmond, Virginia area for decades, making her one of the few former child TV stars to successfully transition into a skilled medical profession.
On What’s Happening!! (1976–1979), Danielle Spencer’s co-stars included Ernest Thomas as Raj (her on-screen older brother), Fred Berry as Rerun, Haywood Nelson as Dwayne, Mabel King as Mama, and Shirley Hemphill as Shirley the waitress. The series also featured a young Danielle in a breakout comedic role that defined her public identity for decades.