Beloved ’70s Sitcom Actor, 65, Shares Heartwarming Tribute to Rarely-Seen Former Co-Star originally appeared on Parade.
As wisecracking little sister Dee on the classic ’70s sitcom What’s Happening!!, Danielle Spencer was the undisputed queen of sassy one-liners — and nearly fifty years later, it seems fans still have plenty of love for the former child star.
Spencer’s What’s Happening!! co-star, Haywood Nelson — who played the sweet-natured goofball Dwayne — took to Instagram recently to share a 60th birthday tribute to Spencer, posting a glamorous shot of the grown-up actress posing in a strapless yellow dress.
“Arguably one of the funniest young performers to emerge in our pop culture as ‘Dee’ in ‘What’s Happening’ and surely one of the smartest. Happy Born Day to Dr. Danielle Spencer. Happy Birthday Dani! We love you fam,” Nelson, 65, wrote in his caption.
Commenters were quick to send Spencer their best wishes, with one writing, “I agree with you! She is in a league of her own! Happy Birthday!!!!”
“I wanted to be Dee when I was little ❤️,” a second person admitted, with a third adding, “Dee, Tootie, Penny, Arnold and Willis were some outstanding kid characters of the late 1970s to early 1980s. Golden age of soul kids era.”
“I’m gon tell mama,” quipped someone else, recalling Dee’s notorious tattletale tendencies.
While Spencer left Hollywood for the most part in the years following What’s Happening!! (and the sequel series, What’s Happening Now!!) to pursue a successful career as a veterinarian, she opened up about her appreciation for the series in an interview published on BlackDoctor.org in 2023.
“I would like for it to be remembered as maybe one of the first shows that allowed people from all generations and racial backgrounds to come together and watch TV at the same time,” she said.
“Before that, it’s been said that white people didn’t watch a lot of the shows black people were on,” Spencer continued. “But now, we have so many fans of all races that come up to us and say they really enjoyed What’s Happening! and how it reminds them of their childhood. That’s always a good thing when you can be reminded of the things you were raised with.”
Related: Rarely-Seen ’80s Actress, 58, Is a ‘Sight for Sore Eyes’ in New Video
Beloved ’70s Sitcom Actor, 65, Shares Heartwarming Tribute to Rarely-Seen Former Co-Star first appeared on Parade on Jun 30, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 30, 2025, where it first appeared.