The actress of the series «What's Happening!!» Danielle Spencer has passed away: details and memories
13 august 2025 в 17:13
The cast of the TV show «What's Happening!!» has been through a lot since they last worked together on the sequel to their sitcom «What's Happening Now!!». Several actors from the show have passed away, the latest being Danielle Spencer, who played Dee Thomas. She had been battling several health issues, including cancer.
Until the end of her life, Danielle remained friends with some of her former co-stars, including Haywood Nelson, who played Dwayne on the show. Haywood announced her death on Instagram on August 12, 2025, calling Danielle «brilliant, loving, positive, pragmatic warrior, always».
Ernest Thomas, who played Danielle’s on-screen brother Raj, also expressed sincere tribute to the late actress and veterinarian through Instagram. He wrote, in part: «No more suffering for my little sister Dr. Danielle Spencer».
Find out below where the rest of the cast of «What's Happening!!» are now.
Ernest played the teenage protagonist Raj, who often got into comedic mishaps and had to find a way out of them.
Ernest had already established himself as an actor before landing the lead role in «What's Happening!!». Three years after the show was canceled, he reprised his role as Raj in the sequel «What's Happening Now!!», and then landed the role of Mr. Omar in «Everybody Hates Chris». Since 2024, Ernest has been voicing the role of Mr. Omar in the animated sitcom «Still Hating Chris».
Before playing Dwayne in «What's Happening!!», Haywood had his first success in the soap opera «As the World Turns», playing Jerry Smith from 1971 to 1974. Thanks to the success of «What's Happening!!» and «What's Happening Now!!», Dwayne became a teen idol in Hollywood.
Fred Berry began his show business career as a dancer in the Los Angeles group The Lockers, an experience that helped shape his character Rerun in «What's Happening!!». The character became a fan favorite due to the actor’s dancing skills and charisma.
Unfortunately, Fred struggled with drugs and alcohol throughout his career and passed away in October 2003.
Like most of her co-stars, Danielle became known for her work in «What's Happening!!». After the sequel in the 1980s, Danielle appeared in several other screen roles until the early 2000s. Outside of show business, Danielle became a veterinarian. She studied veterinary science at the University of California, Davis and the University of California, Los Angeles, earning a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Tuskegee University.
During the filming of «What's Happening!!», Danielle was involved in a car accident in 1977, which nearly cost her life, killing her stepfather Tim Pelt and putting her in a coma for three weeks. She had no memory of the accident and spent several months in rehabilitation.
Danielle passed away in August 2025 after a series of health problems, including cancer and a urinary tract infection that developed into sepsis, according to TMZ.
Unlike her co-stars, Mabel King did not start her acting career until the mid-30s. She began with stage productions, then was offered the role of Mama Thomas in the 1970s. She left the show after two seasons in 1978 and appeared in guest roles in other TV series, including «The Jeffersons» and «Fantasy Island». In film, Mabel appeared in «The Jerk», «The Jerk, Too», «Scrooged», and «Dead Don’t Die».
Mabel suffered from diabetes throughout her career, leading to amputations and her subsequent death in November 1999. She was 66 years old.
Shirley Hemphill was an actress and comedian, and thanks to «What's Happening!!» and its sequel, she appeared in several screen roles throughout her career. Shirley appeared in the series «One in a Million» and appeared in several other TV series in the 1990s.
However, Shirley’s life ended when she was only 52 years old
Until the end of her life, Danielle remained friends with some of her former co-stars, including Haywood Nelson, who played Dwayne on the show. Haywood announced her death on Instagram on August 12, 2025, calling Danielle «brilliant, loving, positive, pragmatic warrior, always».
Ernest Thomas, who played Danielle’s on-screen brother Raj, also expressed sincere tribute to the late actress and veterinarian through Instagram. He wrote, in part: «No more suffering for my little sister Dr. Danielle Spencer».
Find out below where the rest of the cast of «What's Happening!!» are now.
Ernest played the teenage protagonist Raj, who often got into comedic mishaps and had to find a way out of them.
Ernest had already established himself as an actor before landing the lead role in «What's Happening!!». Three years after the show was canceled, he reprised his role as Raj in the sequel «What's Happening Now!!», and then landed the role of Mr. Omar in «Everybody Hates Chris». Since 2024, Ernest has been voicing the role of Mr. Omar in the animated sitcom «Still Hating Chris».
Before playing Dwayne in «What's Happening!!», Haywood had his first success in the soap opera «As the World Turns», playing Jerry Smith from 1971 to 1974. Thanks to the success of «What's Happening!!» and «What's Happening Now!!», Dwayne became a teen idol in Hollywood.
Fred Berry began his show business career as a dancer in the Los Angeles group The Lockers, an experience that helped shape his character Rerun in «What's Happening!!». The character became a fan favorite due to the actor’s dancing skills and charisma.
Unfortunately, Fred struggled with drugs and alcohol throughout his career and passed away in October 2003.
Like most of her co-stars, Danielle became known for her work in «What's Happening!!». After the sequel in the 1980s, Danielle appeared in several other screen roles until the early 2000s. Outside of show business, Danielle became a veterinarian. She studied veterinary science at the University of California, Davis and the University of California, Los Angeles, earning a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Tuskegee University.
During the filming of «What's Happening!!», Danielle was involved in a car accident in 1977, which nearly cost her life, killing her stepfather Tim Pelt and putting her in a coma for three weeks. She had no memory of the accident and spent several months in rehabilitation.
Danielle passed away in August 2025 after a series of health problems, including cancer and a urinary tract infection that developed into sepsis, according to TMZ.
Unlike her co-stars, Mabel King did not start her acting career until the mid-30s. She began with stage productions, then was offered the role of Mama Thomas in the 1970s. She left the show after two seasons in 1978 and appeared in guest roles in other TV series, including «The Jeffersons» and «Fantasy Island». In film, Mabel appeared in «The Jerk», «The Jerk, Too», «Scrooged», and «Dead Don’t Die».
Mabel suffered from diabetes throughout her career, leading to amputations and her subsequent death in November 1999. She was 66 years old.
Shirley Hemphill was an actress and comedian, and thanks to «What's Happening!!» and its sequel, she appeared in several screen roles throughout her career. Shirley appeared in the series «One in a Million» and appeared in several other TV series in the 1990s.
However, Shirley’s life ended when she was only 52 years old
© Smirnova Olga
