Happy Early Birthday to Joey Lawrence! - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

bengay · 04-06-2016, 10:12 PM

Hi everyone,

I know it's a little early, but better early than late: I wanna wish a VERY Happy Birthday to Joey Lawrence, who will turn the big 4-0 on April 20.

He was born Joseph Lawrence Mignogna, Jr. on April 20, 1976 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the oldest of 3 boys (including younger brothers Matt and Andy, born on February 11, 1980 and January 12, 1988, also both born in Philadelphia) born to Joe and Donna Mignogna, who changed the family surname legally to Lawrence soon after Joey's birth (hence why his brothers were both born with the surname Lawrence).

Like his younger brothers afterwards, Joey was a life-long Educational Attendee of Abington Friends School, a private Quaker School located in the Philadelphia region, graduating from the School in 1994.

In 1983, Joey, then age 7, began his career as a child actor opposite Nell Carter on the hit '80s sitcom "Gimme a Break," a role he played for 4 years until age 10, when the series was canceled by NBC in 1987.

In Spring 1990, at age 14, Joey was cast as the teenage brother (originally named Donny, later changed to Joey upon series' retooling and pickup) on the sitcom pilot for Disney/NBC titled "Blossom" (A Witt-Thomas Production in association with Walt Disney Television, today known as ABC Studios).

The original pilot episode was telecast on July 5, 1990 before beginning its regular 4-season run on NBC, airing from January 3, 1991 - May 22, 1995.

After "Blossom" was canceled by NBC, Joey and his younger brothers Matt and Andy began working together for the first time professionally on a Disney sitcom called "Brotherly Love," airing for 18 episodes every Sunday night at 7 P.M. ET/PT; due to poor ratings, NBC canceled the series after a single season, after which the infant WB Television Network picked it up for its 2nd season; subsequently, though no new episodes were made after 1997, Disney Channel began airing reruns of "Brotherly Love" for at least 4 years.

In the years since, Joey recently concluded a 4-season, 5-year run on ABC Family's "Melissa & Joey" opposite Melissa Joan Hart--and also served as Emcee of the Chippendales Strip Club in Vegas.

Regardless, a Happy EARLY 40th Birthday to Joey Lawrence!!!

04-06-2016, 10:12 PM	#1
bengay Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jan 27, 2016 Posts: 31	Happy Early Birthday to Joey Lawrence! Hi everyone, I know it's a little early, but better early than late: I wanna wish a VERY Happy Birthday to Joey Lawrence, who will turn the big 4-0 on April 20. He was born Joseph Lawrence Mignogna, Jr. on April 20, 1976 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the oldest of 3 boys (including younger brothers Matt and Andy, born on February 11, 1980 and January 12, 1988, also both born in Philadelphia) born to Joe and Donna Mignogna, who changed the family surname legally to Lawrence soon after Joey's birth (hence why his brothers were both born with the surname Lawrence). Like his younger brothers afterwards, Joey was a life-long Educational Attendee of Abington Friends School, a private Quaker School located in the Philadelphia region, graduating from the School in 1994. In 1983, Joey, then age 7, began his career as a child actor opposite Nell Carter on the hit '80s sitcom "Gimme a Break," a role he played for 4 years until age 10, when the series was canceled by NBC in 1987. In Spring 1990, at age 14, Joey was cast as the teenage brother (originally named Donny, later changed to Joey upon series' retooling and pickup) on the sitcom pilot for Disney/NBC titled "Blossom" (A Witt-Thomas Production in association with Walt Disney Television, today known as ABC Studios). The original pilot episode was telecast on July 5, 1990 before beginning its regular 4-season run on NBC, airing from January 3, 1991 - May 22, 1995. After "Blossom" was canceled by NBC, Joey and his younger brothers Matt and Andy began working together for the first time professionally on a Disney sitcom called "Brotherly Love," airing for 18 episodes every Sunday night at 7 P.M. ET/PT; due to poor ratings, NBC canceled the series after a single season, after which the infant WB Television Network picked it up for its 2nd season; subsequently, though no new episodes were made after 1997, Disney Channel began airing reruns of "Brotherly Love" for at least 4 years. In the years since, Joey recently concluded a 4-season, 5-year run on ABC Family's "Melissa & Joey" opposite Melissa Joan Hart--and also served as Emcee of the Chippendales Strip Club in Vegas. Regardless, a Happy EARLY 40th Birthday to Joey Lawrence!!!