Joey Lawrence

Joseph "Joey" Lawrence (born April 20, 1976) is an American actor, singer, and television host. In television he is best known for his roles in TV series Gimme a Break! Blossom and Melissa & Joey.

Early life
Lawrence was born Joseph Lawrence Mignogna, Jr. in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of Donna Mignogna, a personnel manager, and Joseph Lawrence Mignogna, Sr., an insurance broker. His family's surname was changed to "Lawrence" during his childhood. He has two younger brothers, Matthew and Andrew, who are also actors.

He graduated from Abington Friends School in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania in 1994, and later attended the University of Southern California.

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. Lawrence provided the voice of the Oliver, the protagonist in the 1988 Disney film Oliver & Company.

From 1991 to 1995, Lawrence co-starred in the hit TV series Blossom, in which he played Joey Russo, a dim-witted teenager who frequently uttered the phrase "Whoa!", which due to the success of the show became a catchphrase in the United States.

Lawrence has also starred in the series Brotherly Love and Run of the House, and has guest starred on shows such as American Dreams and CSI: NY. One of Lawrence's movie credits is Urban Legends: Final Cut (2000) in which he costarred with Jennifer Morrison, Matthew Davis, and Hart Bochner.

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 Fiance, 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, opposite Melissa Joan 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 member of the financial industry whos company came under investigation for wrongdoing and caused his professional life to be put on hold and in limbo.

Music
Lawrence has said that music was always his passion and in the wake of his success began a recording career. Lawrence was 16-years-old when his debut album, Joey Lawrence, was released in February 1993. The album was produced by Terry Lupton, Ian Prince and Teddy Riley. Lawrence also co-wrote songs on the album, including the international hit single "Nothin' My Love Can't Fix" (#6 Billboard Hot 100 Airplay, #10 Billboard Top 40 Mainstream, #19 Billboard Hot 100, #13 United Kingdom, #68 Australia). The music video for the song 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 July 2008, Lawrence told TV Guide that he is working on a new album composed mostly of ballads.

Personal life
Lawrence married Michelle Vella in 2002; the couple divorced in 2004. 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. The couple had two daughters, Charleston (born 2006) and Liberty Grace (born March 2010).

Discography

 * Studio albums
 * Joey Lawrence (1993)
 * Soulmates (1997)

Singles
 * "Nothin' My Love Can't Fix" (1993)
 * "Stay Forever" (1993)
 * "I Can't Help Myself" (1993)
 * "Ven Ven Conmigo" (1997)
 * "Never Gonna Change My Mind" (1997)