‘What's Happening!!' child TV star Danielle Spencer dies at 60
In an Instagram post, Nelson said Spencer died Monday in Virginia. Family spokesperson Sandra Jones confirmed to the Associated Press that Spencer died after a yearslong battle with cancer.
Nelson told NBCLA Tuesday that he spoke with Spencer's mother, who confirmed she had died. He described Spencer as a 'brilliant person who loved animals' and moved on from acting to become a veterinarian. Nelson, who played Dwayne as Spencer's ' What's Happening!! ' co-star, told NBCLA he spoke to her about a week ago and marveled at her positivity and optimism.
'Dr. Dee, our brilliant, loving, positive, pragmatic warrior, without fail, has finally found her release from the clutches of this world and a body,' Nelson said in his Instagram post. 'We celebrate Danielle Spencer and her contributions as we regret to inform her departure and transition from a long battle with cancer.'
Spencer was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014 and underwent emergency surgery for brain bleed in 2018.
She played Dee Thomas, a sassy young member of the Thomas family on 'What's Happening!!,' which was broadcast on ABC from 1976 to 1979. She reprised the role in 'What's Happening Now!!' in the 1980s.
Born in New Jersey, Spencer was seriously injured in a major car crash in 1976 that killed her stepfather, actor Tim Pelt.
She attended the University of California, Davis and pursued a degree in medicine. She then pursued her life-long passion for helping animals, attending Tuskegee University Veterinary School in Alabama and becoming a veterinarian in 1996.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
33 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Tristan Rogers, ‘General Hospital' Star, Dies at 79
Tristan Rogers, a longtime star of ABC's daytime soap General Hospital, has died. He was 79. Rogers died early Friday after a battle with lung cancer, though he had never been a smoker. He played Robert Scorpio on General Hospital over several stints for some 45 years and also had a run on CBS' The Young and the Restless. More from The Hollywood Reporter Dan Ziskie, Actor on 'Treme' and 'House of Cards,' Dies at 80 Lorna Raver, Actress in 'Drag Me to Hell,' Dies at 81 Danielle Spencer, Sassy Young Star of 'What's Happening!!,' Dies at 60 'The entire General Hospital family is heartbroken to hear of Tristan Rogers' passing,' said executive producer Frank Valentini in a statement. 'Tristan has captivated our fans for 45 years, and Port Charles will not be the same without him (or Robert Scorpio). I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to his family and friends during this difficult time. Tristan was a one-of-a-kind talent and will be greatly missed. May he rest in peace.' A native of Melbourne, Australia, the blue-eyed Rogers appeared on several TV series in his home country early in his career. He joined General Hospital in 1980 as Scorpio, a colorful character who quickly became a fan favorite. In one of the character's most notable early storylines, Scorpio teamed with Luke and Laura (Anthony Geary and Genie Francis) to rescue the world from the Ice Princess weather machine in 1981. He was initially set to work for only two days on General Hospital, 'to beat up the hero — Luke — and then disappear,' he recalled in a 2022 interview. 'I then was called into [executive producer] Gloria Monty's office and told, 'We really like what you're doing, would you like to stay?'' Rogers remained on General Hospital through 1992, when Scorpio was killed — though his dead body was never seen onscreen — in an explosion in South America. He returned briefly three years later as Scorpio's spirit, who comforted his daughter Robin (Kimberly McCullough), though in subsequent returns the character was alive. Rogers reprised the role for several brief stints in the 2000s and 2010s, along with a role on the spinoff General Hospital: Night Shift, before rejoining the show in a recurring rule from 2019-24. His final appearances on General Hospital came in an unannounced guest appearance in July. Rogers also played the character of Colin Atkinson on The Young and the Restless from 2010-19, appearing in about 180 episodes of that CBS soap. His credits also included voice work on Batman Beyond and The Wild Thornberrys, along with roles on the web series The Bay and Studio City. He won a Daytime Emmy for his role on the latter and was nominated for his work on The Bay. Rogers is survived by his wife and two children. Mike Barnes contributed to this report. Best of The Hollywood Reporter 'The Studio': 30 Famous Faces Who Play (a Version of) Themselves in the Hollywood-Based Series 22 of the Most Shocking Character Deaths in Television History A 'Star Wars' Timeline: All the Movies and TV Shows in the Franchise
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
Why Fred Savage thought ‘Wonder Years' guest star Alicia Silverstone once gave him a fake phone number
Alicia Silverstone has a funny story about her time guest-starring on 'The Wonder Years' more than 30 years ago. During a new interview with Entertainment Weekly published Friday, Aug. 15, the 'Clueless' actress explained why the show's star, Fred Savage, thought she gave him a fake phone number after they first met on set in 1992. 'Fred Savage's character asks me on a date and I say, 'Pick me up at seven,' or something,' Silverstone began. 'And that's what makes him decide he needs to get on it and learn how to drive.' 9 Alicia Silverstone at the Plaza Hotel in New York City on February 8, 2024. Getty Images for Christian Siriano 9 Fred Savage at the Langham Huntington Hotel and Spa in Pasadena, California, on January 15, 2016. FilmMagic The Season 5 episode in question, titled 'Road Test,' marked Silverstone's first-ever onscreen acting role. She played Jessica Thomas, the high school crush of Kevin Arnold (Savage). 'Fred asked me for my number, which was really sweet, because I was 14,' Silverstone continued. 'My home phone number was also a fax machine of my dad's work.' 'So he had tried calling that a few times, and it just went straight to fax,' she laughed. 'So he thought I gave him a fake number or something.' 9 Alicia Silverstone and Fred Savage during Season 5 Episode 11 of 'The Wonder Years.' ABC However, the 'Batman & Robin' star also revealed that she and Savage, 49, have 'since corrected the situation' in the more than 30 years since they first met. Meanwhile, Savage was not the only 'The Wonder Years' actor Silverstone hit it off with during her one-episode appearance on the show. She and Josh Saviano, who portrayed Kevin's best friend, Paul Pfeiffer, on all six seasons of the ABC coming-of-age comedy, also became 'very good friends.' 9 Alicia Silverstone in 1995. ©Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection 9 Fred Savage at the Writers Guild Theater in Beverly Hills, California, on January 13, 2010. Getty Images 'I don't know how our exchange of numbers worked, but that worked,' Silverstone shared. Elsewhere during her interview with the outlet, the 'Blast From the Past' star discussed Peacock's upcoming 'Clueless' reboot series. Although Silverstone admitted that she 'never thought' about doing a revival of the 1995 classic, she is confident the new show will 'honor' the original movie. 9 Alicia Silverstone on the poster for 'Clueless' in 1995. ©Paramount 9 Alicia Silverstone as Cher Horowitz in 'Clueless.' ©Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection 'It's very early stages,' she shared. 'I'm obviously excited. I never thought that was something that I would ever do because I wouldn't wanna mess up this thing that we all love so much.' 'We will do our very best to honor the original movie that we love and also bring something new to it,' Silverstone added. 'That's the goal, and I believe we will execute that goal.' Silverstone previously took to social media to express her excitement after the 'Clueless' reboot series was officially announced back in April. 9 Alicia Silverstone as Cher Horowitz in 1995's 'Clueless.' ©Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection 9 Alicia Silverstone out and about in New York City on August 7, 2025. GC Images 'Totally buggin'… in the best way,' she wrote on Instagram at the time. The 'Y2K' actress also said that she 'can't wait' to reprise her role as Cher Horowitz after three decades. 'I can't wait to step back into Cher's skin and her fancy designer shoes that will be gently used, of course, duh, because she's evolved,' Silvertone, who is serving as an executive producer, told Entertainment Weekly. 'This is 2025, she's not wearing the new stuff unless it's sustainable or vegan,' she added. 'We'll have to see how far we can go with that.'
2 hours ago
Tristan Rodgers dead at 79
The longtime star of ABC's 'General Hospital' who played the role of Robert Scorpio for 45 years has died after a battle with lung cancer. August 16, 2025
