# Last Remaining Cast Members **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted\ **Created:** [January 1, 2021, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-remaining-cast-members/929464 "2021-01-01T20:16:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 17
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2025, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-remaining-cast-members/929464/322 "2025-07-26T14:06:58Z")
In that picture she reminds me of Janet Leeves ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2025, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-remaining-cast-members/929464/323 "2025-07-26T14:48:29Z")
I think Joyce DeWitt and Richard Kline are the last survivors of the Original Threes Company cast. The two replacements for Somers are still alive. But the original cast made the show a hit. Kline was in one season 1 episode and became a semi-regular season 2. John Ritter, Norman Fell, Audra Linley, Suzanne Somers and Don Knotts are gone. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2025, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-remaining-cast-members/929464/324 "2025-07-26T15:06:46Z")
Surprisingly, Richard Kline is still working. Both Priscilla Barnes & Jenilee Harrison are also still alive of course, so far from Last remaining cast members at this point. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2025, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-remaining-cast-members/929464/325 "2025-07-26T15:13:00Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Surprisingly, Richard Kline is still working. Wow! he’s 81 and looks darned good! ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2025, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-remaining-cast-members/929464/326 "2025-07-26T19:41:52Z")
Jane, not Janet. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2025, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-remaining-cast-members/929464/327 "2025-07-26T19:42:38Z")
Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![caligulathegod](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caligulathegod/32/9685_2.png) [@caligulathegod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caligulathegod)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2025, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-remaining-cast-members/929464/328 "2025-08-12T18:41:07Z")
# ‘What’s Happening’: Only 2 Original Cast Members Remain After Danielle Spencer’s Death The recent passing of former _What’s Happening!!_ star Danielle Spencer (Dee) has cast a bittersweet shadow over the beloved 1970s sitcom. Once a lively tale of teens navigating life with humor and heart, the series boasted a cast of unforgettable personalities. Today, only two of the series’ original stars remain. Details about Spencer’s death were announced by her former co-star, Haywood Nelson, who played Dwayne Nelson on the series. He told [The Hollywood Reporter](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/danielle-spencer-dead-whats-happening-1236342214/), “She suffered for a very long time but did it with a great deal of courage.” Spencer, 60, died in a hospital in Richmond, Virginia. She underwent a double mastectomy in 2014. Four years later, she had emergency surgery to relieve bleeding on her brain. A cause of death was not announced. Nelson is one of the two remaining _What’s Happening_ cast members still alive. Per _[Remind Magazine](https://www.remindmagazine.com/article/13644/whats-happening-where-are-they-now/)_, he is a producer and a Digital Media Executive. The other is Ernest Lee Thomas, who played Raj, Spencer’s older brother on the series. He most recently appeared in the 2024 series _Diarra from Detroit_ and remains active on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/p/DNMx1_rR4HK/). > **['What’s Happening!!': 2 Cast Members Remain After Daniell...](https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/a/lucille-barilla/whats-happening-2-original-cast-members-remain-after-danielle-spencers)** > > Danielle Spencer's death casts a sad shadow over the wild... ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2025, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-remaining-cast-members/929464/329 "2025-08-12T23:20:10Z")
> [@caligulathegod](#): > > The recent passing of former _What’s Happening!!_ star Danielle Spencer (Dee) has cast a bittersweet shadow over the beloved 1970s sitcom. That’s a shame. > [@Oohhh Umbrrrr. You're in troub-le.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oohhh-umbrrrr-youre-in-troub-le/779517): > > One of those odd kid memories popped into my head today. I vaguely remember this from 1st or second grade in the 70’s. The tattler chanted it in a sing-songy voice right before they went and tattled. I don’t remember it lasting all that long(and I have no idea how to spell umbrrr). Anybody else remember something like this, or was it just one of the weird things my school came up with? ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2025, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-remaining-cast-members/929464/330 "2025-08-13T04:39:15Z")
> [@GreaterZamboni](#): > > Stuart Margolin (Angel Martin) and Gretchen Corbett (Beth Davenport) are the only ones left from The Rockford Files, and even they were just recurring characters. > > As for The Bob Newhart Show, Pat Finley, who played Bob’s sister/Howard’s girlfriend is still with us, but she was only a recurring character too. Stuart Margolin passed away in 2022. Gretchen Corbett is still alive; today is her 80th birthday. It’s odd that you’d mention Pat Finley in the same post. She was in seven episodes of _The Rockford Files_; six as Dennis’s wife, and once doing the telephone message in the opening credits. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2025, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-remaining-cast-members/929464/331 "2025-08-23T14:24:27Z")
[Agent 13 passed away on August 10, 2025.](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/tv/articles/smart-actor-quietly-died-97-191722979.html) > **David Ketchum** , who was known for his role as Agent 13 on _Get Smart_, has died at age 97. > > The actor’s family announced that he died on August 10, according to _[The Hollywood Reporter](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/david-ketchum-dead-get-smart-agent-13-1236351427/)_. > > “He leaves behind a legacy of laughter, warmth and timeless television moments — reminding us all that sometimes, the simplest surprise (like someone perched in a mailbox) can yield the biggest smile,” his family said in a statement published on Friday, August 22, adding that fans could honor him by watching one of his _Get Smart_ performances “in remembrance of his quick wit, gentle heart and cinematic spirit.” I enjoyed his portrayal of Agent 13 in _Get Smart_. The choices of his hiding places were quite funny and how he delivered his lines in those places greatly added to the humor of one of the funniest shows of my youth. i can almost hear his voice coming out of the casket now. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2025, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-remaining-cast-members/929464/332 "2025-09-10T22:38:28Z")
Polly Holliday has died. > **[Polly Holliday, who played Flo the waitress on 'Alice,' dies at 88](https://ew.com/polly-holliday-flo-on-tv-show-alice-dies-at-88-11807539)** > > Polly Holliday, the beloved 'Kiss my grits!' actor who played Flo the waitress on 'Alice,' has died. She was 88. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats2)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2025, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-remaining-cast-members/929464/333 "2025-09-10T22:40:33Z")
Is Phillip McKeon still alive? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2025, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-remaining-cast-members/929464/334 "2025-09-10T22:41:53Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats2](#): > > Phillip McKeon Phillip McKeon died in 2019. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2025, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-remaining-cast-members/929464/335 "2025-09-10T22:51:54Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats2](#): > > Is Phillip McKeon still alive? No but Celia Weston is and she’s currently in the show _Leanne._ ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2025, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-remaining-cast-members/929464/336 "2025-09-10T23:21:06Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Polly Holliday has died. Those grits have been kissed for the last time. ---
**Author:** ![Author\_Balk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Author\_Balk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Author_Balk)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2025, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-remaining-cast-members/929464/337 "2025-09-11T19:44:51Z")
It looks like Diane Ladd was temporarily part of the main cast of Alice and she is still alive. She was Alice in the movie. I think we still have two. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2025, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-remaining-cast-members/929464/338 "2025-09-11T20:35:43Z")
I think she was Flo’s replacement in fact. I can’t recall the character name. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.winston_oboogie/32/2945_2.png) [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Winston_OBoogie)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2025, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-remaining-cast-members/929464/339 "2025-09-11T20:41:49Z")
IMDB says it was Belle Dupree. ETA - Looks like Ladd was replaced by Celia Weston, who was on the show longer than Ladd, and she’s still alive. So that makes 3. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2025, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-remaining-cast-members/929464/340 "2025-09-11T20:43:21Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > I think she was Flo’s replacement in fact. I can’t recall the character name She was; when Flo/Holliday left _Alice_ for her spin-off series, Ladd replaced her on _Alice_, as a not-dissimilar hard-edged waitress named Belle. Ladd was only on the show for parts of two seasons, and was herself replaced by Celia Weston as Jolene. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2025, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-remaining-cast-members/929464/341 "2025-09-11T21:56:01Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > > [@What\_Exit](#): > > > > I think she was Flo’s replacement in fact. I can’t recall the character name > > She was; when Flo/Holliday left _Alice_ for her spin-off series, Ladd replaced her on _Alice_, IIRC, Diane Ladd was the first choice for Flo but had obligations elsewhere. When the spin-off allowed her to join the cast, she didn’t click. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-remaining-cast-members/929464.md?page=16) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-remaining-cast-members/929464.md?page=18)