Danielle Spencer (American actress)

Not to be confused with Danielle Spencer (Australian singer).
Danielle Spencer

Spencer in 1977
Born (1965-06-24) June 24, 1965
Bronx, New York, United States
Occupation Actress, veterinarian
Years active 19762001

Danielle Spencer (born June 24, 1965) is an American actress and former child star best known for her role as Dee Thomas on the ABC sitcom What's Happening!!, which ran from 1976 to 1979. She would later reprise the role in four episodes on the series' sequel, What's Happening Now!!

Life and career

Spencer was born in New York City. She is the stepdaughter of actor Tim Pelt, who was killed in a car accident on September 7, 1977. Spencer herself was seriously injured and suffers chronic back pain as a result of that same accident. She received treatment for spinal stenosis at The Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation in New Jersey, the same facility that treated actor Christopher Reeve.[1]

Spencer attended the University of California-Davis two years (1983–85) to pursue a degree in veterinary medicine, a pursuit encouraged by her late stepfather. She later took a break from her studies to participate in the revival of her character, Dee, in What's Happening Now!! (1985–1988). While matriculating her sophomore year, Danielle pledged and became a member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority. Spencer attended Tuskegee University Veterinary School, in Tuskegee, Alabama and became a veterinarian in 1996. She also portrayed a veterinarian in the films As Good as It Gets in 1997 and Peter Rabbit and the Crucifix in 2001.

Spencer was featured on TV One's hit series Life After in 2013. And in 2-14 she appeared on TVONE's Unsung. She was with her former cast members.

Spencer, as Danielle Spencer, has published a book about her life as a Child Star entitled: Through the Fire: Journal of a Child Star.[2]

Personal

Spencer had been working at Saugus Animal Hospital (CA) as a Doctor of Veterinary medicine.[3] In an interview published on People Magazine's website, Spencer credited her battle with spinal injury and paralysis with changing her perspective on the treatment of animals from simply alleviating their pain to finding the underlying cause of their problems.[4]

Spencer revealed on September 26, 2014 that she was diagnosed with breast cancer.[5] Speaking out for Breast Cancer Awareness month, Spencer, 49, who is now a veterinarian, told BlackAmericaWeb that her diagnosis the previous month took her by surprise. "With everything that I've been through with the spinal cord injury, I said I know God is not going to give me another affliction," she said, referring to a 1977 car accident, during the sitcom's run, that led to near-paralysis for a time. "So I was completely shocked when the doctors told me." Though the news came as a surprise, Spencer said the disease runs in her family. "I have a lot of help and support around me," she said. As of the interview's publish date in October of 2014, Spencer stated she was considering her treatment options, with surgery at the top of the list.[6] "I'm trying to get as many opinions as possible but it does look like that is what I’m going to do," she said. "Hopefully after that there won’t be any chemotherapy or radiation involved."[7]

References

  1. "What`s Happening!!" Star Danielle Spencer: Overcoming Chronic Back Pain by Jamie Arnold Retrieved via the internet from www.backpainrelief.net on January 25, 2014
  2. Actress and Author Danielle Spencer: Overcoming Adversity to Beat the Odds By Tanisha Pettiford Sun, Oct 28, 2012. Accessed online January 26th 2014.
  3. Saugus Animal Hospital - Danielle Spencer DVM, 27737 Bouquet Canyon Rd, Ste 130, Saugus, CA 91350 Retrieved from Superpages business directory December 16, 2013 via the internet UPDATE: As of December 19, 2015, She is no longer listed as being employed at the Saugus Animal Hosptial, 3 other Vets are listed but not her.
  4. What's Happening!! Star Danielle Spencer: Paralysis Changed My View of Animals By MARISA LAUDADIO published 06/05/2012 at 02:30 PM EDT. Accessed online January 26, 2014.
  5. Fisher, Luchina (October 23, 2014). "'What’s Happening!' Star Danielle Spencer Diagnosed with Breast Cancer". ABCnews (Yahoo!-ABC News Network). Retrieved 5 March 2015.
  6. Former Child Star Danielle Spencer Talks Smithsonian Honor And Breast Cancer Diagnosis published Oct 20, 2014 By Tonya Pendleton, via BlackAmericaWeb.com and accessed online December 19, 2015
  7. Fisher, Luchina (October 23, 2014). "'What’s Happening!' Star Danielle Spencer Diagnosed with Breast Cancer". ABCnews (Yahoo!-ABC News Network). Retrieved 5 March 2015.

External links

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