Danielle Spencer dead: Legendary What's Happening child star dies aged 60

Former child star Danielle Spencer has died aged 60. The death of the actress, who was best known for her role on What's Happening!!, was confirmed by her friend and former co-star Haywood Nelson.

Writing an emotional tribute on Instagram, Hawyood, who starred as Dwayne on the sitcom, said: "Dr. Dee, our brilliant, loving, positive, pragmatic warrior, without fail, has finally found her release from the clutches of this world and a body. 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."

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Haywood later told TMZ Danielle, who starred as Dee Thomas on the show, died on Monday night in a Richmond, Virginia, hospital with her mum Cheryl and her jazz musician brother Jeremy Pelt by her side.

‘She suffered for a very long time but did it with a great deal of courage,’ he also told The Hollywood Reporter.

She was born in the Bronx, New York on June 24, 1965. Eleven years later she was cast as Dee Thomas in What's Happening.

In the production, she starred as the precocious younger sister. The show ran between 1976 and 1979.

Almost a decade later, it was revived in first-run syndication as What’s Happening Now!!. The show aired from 1985 to 1988 and Danielle reprised her role as Dee, who was then a college-aged character.

Speaking in 2014 about her time in the spotlight, Danielle told Jet Magazine:“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

"I was from the Bronx. What I did was use my own family as the reference on how to portray my character.”

On Twitter/X, fans were quick to pay tribute following the sad nows. One user said: "Oh my heart. God Speed Danielle Spencer.

"I don't know if there was a better child sitcom character than Dee from What's Happening. Her delivery was sublime."

Another added: "Dee was savage!! Remembering Danielle Spencer, who has died at 60." And a third said: "The world of entertainment has lost another light!! We speak your name #daniellespencer, may you rest in peace and power!!"

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