Joey Lawrence


Joseph Lawrence Mignogna Jr. is an American actor, musician, and game show host. He got his start as a child star in the early 1980s and is best known for his role as Joey Russo in Blossom and Joe Longo in Melissa & Joey. Lawrence also starred in the series Brotherly Love with his real-life brothers Matthew and Andrew.

Early life

Lawrence was born in Abington, Pennsylvania, and raised in Philadelphia, the son of Donna, a personnel manager and former elementary school teacher and Joseph Lawrence Mignogna, an insurance broker. He is of Italian, Scottish and English descent. His family's surname was changed to "Lawrence" during his childhood. He has two younger brothers, Matt and Andy, who are also actors.
He graduated from Abington Friends School in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, in 1994, and later attended the University of Southern California.

Career

Acting

Lawrence's first acting role was in a Cracker Jack commercial. At the age of five, he appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, where he performed the song "Give My Regards to Broadway".
After appearing in guest spots on Diff'rent Strokes and Silver Spoons, Lawrence won the role of Joey Donovan on the hit NBC sitcom Gimme a Break! in 1983. He continued in that role until the series ended in 1987. 1985 marked Lawrence's theatrical debut with the release of Summer Rental. Lawrence provided the voice of Oliver, the protagonist in the 1988 Disney film Oliver & Company. From 1991 to 1995, Lawrence co-starred in the hit TV series Blossom, playing Joey Russo.
Lawrence has also starred in the series Brotherly Love and Run of the House and has guest starred on such programs as American Dreams and '. One of Lawrence's film credits is '.

In 2006, Lawrence appeared on ABC's Dancing with the Stars. Paired with professional dancer Edyta Śliwińska, he placed third in the competition.
In May 2007, he starred in the Broadway hit Chicago as Billy Flynn. He next hosted a dance competition show on The Learning Channel, Master of Dance, which premiered June 9, 2008.
In 2009, Lawrence starred in the television movie My Fake Fiancé with Melissa Joan Hart, which premiered on ABC Family to 3.6 million viewers, becoming the most-watched television movie of the ratings season, sweeping top rank in its time-period in key demos. In August 2010, Lawrence returned to television in the ABC Family sitcom Melissa & Joey, again opposite Hart. Hart plays a woman who hires Lawrence as a nanny to help care for her incarcerated sister's kids. Lawrence's character is a former figure in the financial industry whose company came under investigation for wrongdoing and caused his professional life to be put on hold. Lawrence's brothers have guest starred on the show. Matthew Lawrence played Tony Longo in season 1 episode 25 and Andrew Lawrence appeared in season 1 episode 26 as Ryder Scanlon's teacher, Evan McKay. The series was renewed for its fourth season and ended in 2015.
In 2012, he was contracted to be a Chippendales dancer for a special engagement in June at the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. On March 19, 2013, Lawrence began appearing in the ABC reality show Splash'', which he co-hosts alongside Charissa Thompson.

Music career

Lawrence has said that music was always his passion, and at the height of his success began a recording career. Lawrence was 16 when his debut album Joey Lawrence was released in February 1993. Produced by Steve Barri, Tony Peluso, Terry Lupton and Ian Prince. Lawrence co-wrote some material, including the international hit single "Nothin' My Love Can't Fix". The song was used as the end-title theme from the movie Cop and a Half; its music video received heavy airplay on MTV and MuchMusic, and Lawrence was invited to perform live on MTV's Spring Break, The Arsenio Hall Show, and the UK's Top of the Pops in 1993.
In June 2011, he released a single, "Rolled", which was available as a free download for one week on ABC Family's website. In July, Joey released a second single, "Give It To Ya " via Pledge Music. In 2017 Joey started a band with Matt and Andy called Still 3. They released their debut single "Lose Myself".

Personal life

Lawrence married Michelle Vella in 2002; the couple divorced in 2005. He met his second wife, Chandie Yawn-Nelson, earlier while on vacation in Disney World when the two were teenagers; they wed there in July 2005. Lawrence filed for divorce in July 2020.
The couple have two children.
Reports surfaced in March 2018 that Lawrence and Yawn-Nelson had filed for bankruptcy in July 2017. On April 6, 2018, the Chapter 7 bankruptcy case was reportedly settled.

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1982ScampsSparkyTV film
1982Diff'rent StrokesJoeyEpisode: "Big Brother"
1982Silver SpoonsJoey ThompsonEpisode: "The Best Christmas Ever"
1983Little ShotsPeteTV film
1983Wait till Your Mother Gets Home!Chris PetersTV film
1983–1987Gimme a Break!Joey DonovanMain role
1984Young People's SpecialsBillyEpisode: "Umbrella Jack"
1985ABC Afterschool SpecialMattieEpisode: "Don't Touch"
1989Adventures in BabysittingBrad AndersonPilot
1990–1995BlossomJoey RussoMain
1993Olsen Twins Mother's Day SpecialSingerTV special
1993Almost HomeJeff ThorntonEpisode: "Girls and Boy"
1993Empty NestWadeEpisode: "Aunt Verne Knows Best"
1995'Carly's BrotherEpisode: "Whipping Post"
1995Something WilderJ.J. TravisEpisode: "Bergman of Alcatraz"
1995Prince for a DayRalph Bitondo / Ricky PrinceTV film
1995–1997Brotherly LoveJoe RomanMain role
1996Brothers of the FrontierEthan FryeTV film
1999Touched by an AngelJesseEpisode: "Fool for Love"
1999Horse SenseMichael WoodsTV film
Co-producer
1999RecessFranklin Dudikoff Episode: "The Dude"
2001Jumping ShipMichael WoodsTV film
2002Romantic Comedy 101Mark GibsonTV film
2002'Dex Finley Episode: "Eye of the Storm"
2002–2003American DreamsMichael Brooks11 episodes
2003–2004Run of the HouseKurt FranklinMain role
2004Love Rules!Michael WarnerTV film
2005BowMattTV film
2005Confessions of a Sociopathic Social ClimberFergusonTV film
2005–2006Half & HalfBrett Mahoney9 episodes
2006Android ApocalypseDeeCeeTV film
2007'Clay Dobson3 episodes
2007–2008'Dirk Brock 2 episodes
2009My Fake FiancéVince
2010–2015Melissa & JoeyJoe LongoMain role
2011ZeusTV film
2012Hitched for the HolidaysRob MarinoTV film
2012The Dog Who Saved The HollidaysZeusTV film
2013SplashHimselfCo-host
2015Celebrity Family FeudHimselfEpisode: "Lawrence vs Lopez"
2016Cupcake WarsHimselfRunner-up
2017–2019Hawaii Five-0Aaron Wright4 episodes
2019Celebrity Big BrotherHimself / Houseguest9th place
2019DollfaceHimselfEpisode: "Mystery Brunette"

''Dancing with the Stars''

Theater

EPs

'''Other non-charting singles