Actress Danielle Spencer , best known for her role as Dee Thomas on the 1970s sitcom What's Happening!! , has died, per The Hollywood Reporter . She was 60.

On Monday (August 11), Spencer died in a hospital in Richmond, Virginia, her co-star Haywood Nelson confirmed.

“She suffered for a very long time but did it with a great deal of courage,” Nelson said.

Spencer became a rising star in Hollywood at age 11, starring as Dee on What’s Happening!! , which aired from 1976 to 1979. The actress became a beloved figure on the show for her one-liners and iconic catchphrase “Ooooh, I’m gonna tell Mama!" Spencer reprised the role in the 1985 sequel series What’s Happening Now!! , which ran for three seasons.

In 1977, Spencer survived a serious car crash that killed her stepfather

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