Joseph Lawrence Mignogna III (later known as Joey Lawrence) was born on April 20, 1976 in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania (a suburb of Philadelphia). He is the eldest of three brothers; his two younger brothers are Matthew and Andrew Lawrence. His parents are Joseph Lawrence Mignogna Sr. and Donna (née Shaw). His father worked as an insurance broker. Lawrence’s birth name honored his family heritage: “Joseph Lawrence Mignogna III” was chosen to recognize his father and his paternal grandfather.
Lawrence grew up in Meadowbrook, Pennsylvania, and attended Abington Friends School in nearby Jenkintown. He remained enrolled in school even as he began performing; according to Lawrence, his mother insisted on continuing his education and “kept [him] enrolled in [his] private school back in Philly”. This ensured that from kindergarten onward he had a normal schooling experience despite early work.
From early childhood, Lawrence’s family provided a strong support system. He often traveled with his parents, grandparents, and brothers; as he recalled, “we had our grandparents with us a lot and we really had a large group that was constantly traveling”. He later said this made everything seem “always … a hobby, never [our] lives”. In fact, he and his brother Matthew shared a bedroom until Joey was about 16 years old, reflecting the close-knit nature of his upbringing.
| Full Name | Joseph Lawrence Mignogna III |
| Birth | April 20, 1976, Montgomery County, PA |
| Siblings | Brothers: Matthew & Andrew |
| Parents | Joseph Sr. & Donna Shaw |
| Education | Abington Friends School |
| Child Acting | Gimme a Break! (1984–1987) |
| Teen Fame | Blossom (1991–1995) |
| Major Role | Melissa & Joey (2010–2015) |
| Stage & Reality | Broadway Chicago (2007), Dancing with the Stars top 3 (2006) |
| Net Worth | $200K–$300K (2025) |
Joey Lawrence launched his acting career as a child performer. In the mid-1980s he joined the cast of the NBC sitcom Gimme a Break!(1984–1987) as Joey Donovan, a foster son in the main family. This role gave him regular television exposure through the show’s six-season run. He rose to wider fame in the early 1990s playing Joseph “Joey” Russo on NBC’s Blossom(1991–1995).
On Blossom, Lawrence portrayed the dim-witted middle brother opposite Mayim Bialik, a role that made him a teen idol. Building on this success, he then starred alongside his real-life brothers in the family sitcom Brotherly Love(1995–1997), in which he played Joe Roman, the eldest brother who reunites with his siblings after their father’s death. Brotherly Loveran for two seasons and further cemented Lawrence as a leading young actor of the 1990s.
After his teen-star phase, Lawrence expanded into diverse television and stage roles in the 2000s. In 2006 he competed on ABC’s dance competition Dancing with the Stars, finishing in the top three. He continued to explore stage work, making his Broadway debut in 2007 as slick lawyer Billy Flynn in the long-running revival of Chicago. Around the same time he appeared as a co-star on the CBS crime drama CSI: NY.
In 2009 Lawrence co-starred with Melissa Joan Hart in the made-for-television movie My Fake Fiancé. The pairing proved so popular that the following year he and Hart were cast as co-leads in the ABC Family sitcom Melissa & Joey(2010–2015). On Melissa & Joey, Lawrence played Joe Longo, a former professional hockey player hired as a live-in nanny. The show became a signature role in his career, running for four seasons.
Lawrence has headlined several long-running, successful series. His early shows logged impressive episode counts: Gimme a Break!ran 137 episodes over six seasons, and Blossomran 114 episodes across five seasons. Melissa & Joeyitself reached 104 episodes over four seasons. Industry outlets noted that Melissa & Joeypremiered as ABC Family’s highest-rated comedy debut, drawing 2.2 million viewers on its first night.
In the reality-TV realm, his appearance on Dancing with the Starsin 2006 was a high point, with Lawrence advancing to the finals. On stage, his portrayal of Billy Flynn in Chicagogarnered positive notice and marked a rare transition from TV to Broadway. Overall, Lawrence’s achievement lies in successfully leading multiple major TV projects through multi-season runs, establishing him as a fixture of family and comedy television.
In the past few years, Lawrence has embraced new media collaborations and occasional screen roles. He co-hosts the Brotherly Lovepodcast with his brothers Matthew and Andrew, a project that revisits their shared upbringing and careers. The Lawrence brothers have also teamed up onscreen: in 2021 they starred together in the Amazon Prime holiday film Mistletoe Mixup, and Lawrence has said a sequel is in production. Lawrence himself moved into screenwriting; he co-wrote and starred in the 2023 comedy film Frankie Meets Jack, further expanding his creative roles behind the camera.
In addition to these ventures, Lawrence has made occasional returns to television. He appeared in 2022 on FOX’s sitcom Call Me Kat, reuniting with Mayim Bialik in a guest role. He has also taken part in reality series: in 2019 he was a cast member on the UK edition of Celebrity Big Brother, lasting 18 days in the house, and he appeared on The Masked Singerin 2022. Through these activities and fan events, Lawrence continues to maintain a presence in the entertainment industry. Over more than four decades, he has evolved from a child TV star to a veteran actor, singer and host, with a career that spans sitcoms, reality shows, Broadway, and film.
As of 2025, Joey Lawrence’s net worth is estimated to be between $200,000 and $300,000. Lawrence built this wealth through decades of work as an actor and musician. He first gained fame as a child actor on “Gimme a Break!” and later starred as a teenager on “Blossom” and “Melissa & Joey”. He pursued music, performed on Broadway, and hosted TV shows like “Master of Dance,” all of which supplemented his income. Lawrence remains active, co-hosting a podcast with his brothers and performing in their band, which contributes to his earnings.