Joey Lawrence

**Joseph "Joey" Lawrence** (born **Joseph Lawrence Mignogna Jr.**, April 20, 1976 in Philadelphia) is an American actor and R&B singer.  He is best known for his character roles in the television series _Gimme a Break_, _Blossom_ and _Melissa & Joey_. Other television series include the hit show _Brotherly Love_. He has also acted in several movies.

He has two younger brothers, Matthew and Andrew, who are also actors.

He attended the University of Southern California.

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_.  He sang the song "Give My Regards to Broadway".

## Personal life

Lawrence married Michelle Vella in 2002. The couple divorced in 2005. He met his second wife, Chandie Yawn-Nelson, while on vacation in Disney World when the two were teenagers. They married there 13 years later, in July 2005. The couple have two daughters, Charleston (born 2006) and Liberty Grace (born March 2010). In July 2020, Lawrence would file for divorce from Yawn-Nelson.

On May 1, 2022, Lawrence would marry Samantha Cope, who was his co-star on the set of a Lifetime movie. They would have a daughter Dylan Rose together. On August 13, 2024, Cope filed for divorce from Lawrence.

## Filmography

|Year|Title|Role|class="unsortable"|Notes|
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
|1982|_Scamps_|Sparky|TV short||
|1982|_Diff'rent Strokes_|Joey|Episode: "Big Brother"||
|1982|_Silver Spoons_|Joey Thompson|Episode: "The Best Christmas Ever"||
|1983|_Little Shots_|Pete|TV movie||
|1983|_Wait Till Your Mother Gets Home!_|Chris Peters|TV movie||
|1983–1987|_Gimme a Break!_|Joey Donovan|77 episodes||
|1984|_Young People's Specials_|Billy|Episode: "Umbrella Jack"||
|1985|_Summer Rental_|Bobby Chester|||
|1985|_ABC Afterschool Specials_|Mattie|Episode: "Don't Touch"||
|1988|_Pulse_|David Rockland|||
|1988|_Oliver & Company_|Oliver (voice)|||
|1990–1995|_Blossom_|Joey Russo|114 episodes||
|1991|_Chains of Gold_|Tommy|||
|1993|_Olsen Twins Mother's Day Special_|Singer|TV movie||
|1993|_Almost Home_|Jeff Thornton|Episode "Girls and Boy"||
|1993|_Empty Nest_|Wade|Episode: "Aunt Verne Knows Best"||
|1994|_Radioland Murders_|Frankie Marshall|||
|1995|__|Carly's Brother|Episode: "Whipping Post"||
|1995|_Something Wilder_|J.J. Travis|Episode "Bergman of Alcatraz"||
|1995|__|Chad (voice)|||
|1995|_Prince for a Day_|Ralph Bitondo / Ricky Prince|TV movie||
|1995–1997|_Brotherly Love_|Joe Roman|40 episodes||
|1996|_Brothers of the Frontier_|Ethan Frye|TV movie||
|1999|_Touched by an Angel_|Jesse|Episode: "Fool for Love"||
|1999|_Tequila Body Shots_|Johnny Orpheus|||
|1999|_Horse Sense_|Michael Woods|TV movie||
|1999|_Recess_|Franklin Dudikoff (voice)|Episode: "The Dude"||
|2000|_Urban Legends Final Cut_|Graham Manning|||
|2000|_Desperate But Not Serious_|Darby|||
|2001|_Do You Wanna Know a Secret?_|Hank Ford|||
|2001|_Jumping Ship_|Michael Woods|TV movie||
|2002|_Romantic Comedy 101_|Mark Gibson|TV movie||
|2002|__|Dex Finley (voice)|Episode: "Eye of the Storm"||
|2002|_Trois 2: Pandora's Box_|Detective Anderson|||
|2002–2003|_American Dreams_|Michael Brooks|11 episodes||
|2003–2004|_Run of the House_|Kurt Franklin|19 episodes||
|2004|_Love Rules!_|Michael Warner|TV movie||
|2005|_Bow_|Matt|TV movie||
|2005|_Confessions of a Sociopathic Social Climber_|Ferguson|TV movie||
|2005–2006|_Half & Half_|Brett Mahoney|9 episodes||
|2006|_Android Apocalypse_|DeeCee|TV movie||
|2006|_Rest Stop_|Officer Michael Deacon|Video||
|2007|_CSI: NY_|Clay Dobson|3 episodes||
|2007|__|Dirk Brock (voice)|Episode "The Emperor's New School Musical"||
|2008|_Killer Pad_|Joey Lawrence|||
|2008|_Together Again for the First Time_|Carey Krzyznyk|Video||
|2009|_My Fake Fiance_|Vince|TV movie||
|2010|_Sinatra Club_|Louie Pipes|||
|2010–present|_Melissa & Joey_|Joe Longo|30 episodes||
|2011|_Havana Heat_|Agent Sean Franklin|Pre-production||
|2012|_Hit List_|Lyle|Completed||

## Studio albums

- _Joey Lawrence_ (1993) #74 US Album Charts
- _Soulmates_ (1997)

## Other websites

- Official Website

## Infobox (person)

- **name**: Joey Lawrence
- **image**: Joey Lawrence Photo Op GalaxyCon Richmond 2024.jpg
- **caption**: Joey Lawrence (2024)
- **birth name**: Joseph Lawrence Mignogna, Jr.
- **birth place**: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, U.S.
- **other names**: Joe Lawrence
Joseph Lawrence
- **occupation**: Actor, singer-songwriter, record producer
- **years active**: 1982–present
- **spouse**:

- **children**: 3
- **website**: http://theofficialjoeylawrence.com/