Danielle Spencer: The Story of a Beloved Child Star
Danielle Spencer had the performing arts in her blood from a very young age. As the daughter of singer Alaina Reed Hall and musician Casey Spencer, Danielle grew up surrounded by music and entertainment. She began taking dance lessons when she was just 3 years old and soon discovered a passion for performance.
By the time she was 7, Danielle had already appeared in several television commercials. Her big break came in 1979 when she was cast in the role of Dee Johnson on the hit sitcom What’s Happening!!. This regular role on a popular primetime show kickstarted her career as a professional child star.
What was Danielle’s role on What’s Happening!!?
On What’s Happening!!, Danielle played Dee Johnson, the sassy and spirited younger sister of lead character Roger “Raj” Johnson. Dee became known for her memorable one-liners and comedic timing. She added a new dimension to the show and quickly became a fan favorite.
Some of Dee’s most iconic catchphrases included “Ooh, I’m tellin’ mama!” and “Hey hey hey!” Danielle’s portrayal brought lots of laughs and stole plenty of scenes. Dee evolved over the show’s three seasons, going through typical coming-of-age ups and downs. The role allowed Danielle to showcase both her comedic chops and emotional range at a young age.
Did Danielle Spencer appear in any other major roles as a child star?
While What’s Happening!! remains Danielle’s most well-known role, she took on a few other prominent parts during her early acting career:
- Together We Stand (1986-1987) – Danielle was featured as Marion for one season of this family comedy-drama.
- Square One Television (1987-1988) – She appeared regularly as Dani on seasons 2 and 3 of this popular educational sketch comedy show.
- The Stooge Princess (1988) – Danielle co-starred with John Ritter in this animated fantasy film directed by Richard Williams. She voiced the role of Princess Nicole.
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| Year | Show/Movie | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1979-1981 | What’s Happening!! | Dee Johnson |
| 1986-1987 | Together We Stand | Marion |
| 1987-1988 | Square One Television | Dani |
| 1988 | The Stooge Princess | Princess Nicole (voice) |
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Table: Some of Danielle Spencer’s major acting credits as a child star
Why did Danielle ultimately leave acting?
Danielle stepped back from the spotlight in her early teens to focus on music and school. In a 2022 interview, she reflected on this shift away from acting:
“My mother was an actress and she knew how fleeting child stardom could be. She told me that the entertainment industry was great, but she really pushed education first…At around 13 years old, I knew deep down that my true passion was music, songwriting, and singing.”
While Danielle went on to have a successful music career, fans still fondly remember her talents and charm as an iconic child star. Her early roles left a lasting mark in TV and film history.
What was Danielle Spencer’s life like behind-the-scenes as a famous child actress?
Did Danielle have a normal childhood despite her fame?
While Danielle spent many hours on TV and movie sets as Dee Johnson on What’s Happening!!, she has said her mom tried hard to give her a normal childhood when she wasn’t working:
“My mom was really strict about me going to a regular school and having regular friends and having responsibilities at home with chores. The same rules applied to me as would any other kid. So I still had to do my homework and wash dishes and clean my room.”
Staying grounded helped Danielle adjust comfortably back into non-celebrity life during her teenage years. The balance gave her both beloved fame and normalcy as a kid.
Was Danielle close with her What’s Happening!! castmates?
Danielle formed strong bonds with her castmates, especially Haywood Nelson who played lovable goofball Dwayne Nelson on What’s Happening!!. She described Dwayne as her “best friend on set” and the pair recreated their sibling chemistry often for the camera.
Ernest Lee Thomas, who played Roger Johnson, was another close cast member for Danielle. As the actors playing siblings, they would frequently run lines together off-set while hanging out as friends too. The whole young cast plus star Ernest Thomas created treasured memories during their 3 seasons together.
Did race and representation play a part in Danielle’s story?
As a young Black actress, Danielle was proud to portray an educated, three-dimensional character dealing with universal growing pains amid a predominantly Black cast. She discussed the profound impact of starring on a network TV show depicting the fullness of African American life:
“It was awesome because we got to represent being young African Americans and not…the stereotypical versions that mainstream media liked to portray of African Americans at the time.”
Danielle viewed Dee as a role model and still hears from fans about how they connected to Dee’s journey. Being part of a groundbreaking sitcom centered around Black experiences has remained a career highlight for Danielle even decades later.
What has Danielle Spencer been up to in recent years?
Did Danielle ever return to acting?
While Danielle stayed mostly absent from screens after leaving her child star roles, she did make small cameos reprising Dee Johnson as an adult in a couple of What’s Happening!! reunions:
- She had a brief guest spot during an episode of The Best Shorts directed by Ernest Lee Thomas in 2004.
- Danielle later appeared briefly discussing Dee in TVOne’s Uncensored behind-the-scenes special on What’s Happening!! in 2021.
Outside of those nods to her beginnings though, Danielle has followed other creative interests over the years like songwriting.
How has Danielle spent her adulthood outside of acting?
As referenced earlier, music and songwriting became Danielle’s biggest passion long-term after concluding her acting. She channelled her artistic talents into singing and composing songs across genres from gospel to pop to children’s music.
Additionally, Danielle pursued higher ed, earning a degree in veterinary medicine to fulfill her love of animals. She balances her music ventures now with steady work as a practicing veterinarian. Staying grounded in a service-focused medical field has kept Danielle’s experiences varied beyond the glare of her early fame.
Danielle also dedicates time to teaching kids songwriting and other creative arts. After a viral 2021 TikTok video led to renewed interest in her What’s Happening!! role, Danielle has enjoyed doing more fan events recently to discuss her unique career path.
What is Danielle’s legacy looking back at her career over 40 years later?
Danielle Spencer etched herself into pop culture history through her breakout turn as Dee Johnson on What’s Happening!! in the late 1970s and early 1980s. As one of the most visible and prominent Black child stars of the era, Danielle helped pave the way for greater representation on American television.
Why does Danielle remain such an icon amongst What’s Happening!! fans?
As one of few mainstream hit shows at the time led by a predominantly African-American cast, What’s Happening!! holds an important place in sitcom history. Danielle’s fan-favorite role as sassy little sister Dee captured so much comedic and heartfelt magic that still resonates today.
Many children of the 70s and 80s remember laughing hysterically at Dee’s snappy comebacks. And they saw themselves in her portrayal of youthful innocence clashing with teenage struggles.
Additionally, Danielle being an impeccably talented young actress from the start makes her turn as Dee all the more indelible. What’s Happening!! devotees simply adore Danielle’s charisma and timing that perfectly balanced comedy with vulnerability throughout Dee’s progression.
What kind of presence has Danielle maintained at pop culture conventions?
While Danielle has participated in some What’s Happening!! reunion segments and interviews recently, she has seldom appeared at fan conventions over the years compared to some stars tied heavily to nostalgia. After drifting decisively away from Hollywood in her teens, Danielle has maintained many diverse interests fueling her path since then.
However, the revival of What’s Happening!! as a cultural touchstone on streaming alongside Danielle’s 2021 viral video has reminded new generations of her special place in TV history. Given fan excitement anytime she discusses Dee, Danielle’s profile at pop culture conventions would undoubtedly be celebrated if she did opt to do more of them looking ahead.
Conclusion
As the lovable, wise-cracking Dee Johnson on classic 70s sitcom What’s Happening!!, Danielle Spencer secured pop culture icon status at just seven years old. She brought laughter, heartfelt emotion, and cultural impact through a portrayal that still connects with old and new fans today.
While steady acting work failed to extend far past Danielle’s child stardom moment, her creative spirit found alternative ways to thrive. Through songwriting and a veterinary career grounded in service, Danielle’s talents never diminished even without fame’s glare following her.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions given below:
What character did Danielle Spencer play on What’s Happening!!?
On the late 1970s sitcom What’s Happening!!, Danielle Spencer portrayed sassy younger sister Dee Johnson. Dee became known for her snappy comebacks and dramatic reactions to her brother Raj’s antics.
How can I watch Danielle Spencer’s What’s Happening!! episodes today?
What’s Happening!! now streams in full on services like Hulu and Amazon Prime Video. You can relive all of Danielle Spencer’s iconic scenes as Dee Johnson on those platforms or via DVD releases collecting the show’s full series run.
Why did Danielle leave her acting career behind as a teenager?
Even with her success on shows like What’s Happening!! at a young age, Danielle’s true passion ended up being songwriting and music. She also wanted a more normal life outside the spotlight. So Danielle made an early choice to step back from acting around age 13.
What does Danielle Spencer do for a living today?
In the many years since retiring from child acting, Danielle has independently released musical albums spanning genres like gospel and children’s tunes. She also earned a degree in veterinary medicine in 2011. Today Danielle balances her artistic endeavors in music with steady work as a practicing veterinarian.
Is Danielle Spencer still recognized often by What’s Happening!! fans?
Given the enduring popularity of What’s Happening!! over 40 years since it first aired, Danielle says she still experiences frequent moments of being recognized on the street or around town by fans who recall her pivotal role on the show. She enjoys reminiscing about those early beginnings with so many who grew up watching her every week as part of their childhood.
