Joey Lawrence

Joseph Lawrence Mignogna Jr. (born April 20, 1976), is an American actor, singer, and game show host. He is known for his roles as Joey Donovan in the TV series Gimme a Break!, Joey Russo in Blossom, Joe Roman (the eldest brother of three with his real life brothers) in Brotherly Love, and as Joe Longo in Melissa & Joey.

Early life

Lawrence was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of Donna, a personnel manager and former elementary school teacher, and Joseph Lawrence Mignogna, Sr., an insurance broker. He is of half Italian descent. 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.

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.

Taylor Spreitler

Taylor Spreitler (born October 23, 1993) is an American actress and former model. She portrayed the role of Mia McCormick on the NBC soap opera Days of Our Lives, from January 2009 until June 2010. From 2010 to 2015, he portrayed Lennox Scanlon in the ABC Family sitcom Melissa & Joey.

Personal life

Spreitler was born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, spent her youngest years in Wiggins, Mississippi, then moved to Amory, Mississippi.

Career

Early career

Initially a model, Spreitler later booked her first commercial audition, a national campaign for Motrin. This was followed by a series of spots, including JIF, Hess, and Chuck E. Cheese's.

An accomplished singer, Spreitler sang during a pre-game show for the Liberty Bowl on ESPN.

Days of our Lives

In January 2009, Spreitler signed a three-year contract to play the role of Mia McCormick on the NBC daytime soap Days of Our Lives. Her last episode aired at the end of June 2010 after she was released from her contract.

Melissa & Joey

Taylor played Lennox Scanlon, a main character in ABC Family's Melissa & Joey, who is the niece of Mel Burke.

Melissa & Joey

Melissa & Joey is an ABC Family original television series starring Melissa Joan Hart and Joey Lawrence that premiered on August 17, 2010. The series follows local politician Mel Burke (Hart) and Joe Longo (Lawrence), whom Mel hires to look after her niece (Taylor Spreitler) and nephew (Nick Robinson) after a Ponzi scheme leaves Joe broke.

The series originally was picked up for a pilot and season one containing 12 episodes - this premiered August 17, 2010. Then, due to the success of the show, ABC Family renewed it for 18 more episodes on October 8, 2010 which premiered June 29, 2011. The series was renewed by ABC Family for a second season of fifteen episodes, which began airing on May 30, 2012 and ended on August 29, 2012.Melissa & Joey ranks as cable TV's #1 telecast at 8 o'clock across target audiences 18–34, 18–49 and 12–34 demographics.

On August 17, 2012, ABC Family renewed Melissa & Joey for a third season, set to premiere on May 29, 2013. On May 28, 2013, ABC Family announced that the third season would be expanded by 20 episodes, and that the show had also been renewed for a fourth season consisting of 20 episodes, bringing the series total to 104 episodes.

List of Melissa & Joey episodes

Melissa & Joey is an American television sitcom starring Melissa Joan Hart and Joey Lawrence. The series revolves around Melanie "Mel" Burke (Hart), an up-and-coming local politician who hires Joseph "Joe" Longo (Lawrence), a recently divorced commodities broker, as the nanny for her niece and nephew. The series premiered on August 17, 2010 on ABC Family.

Melissa & Joey stood as Wednesday's No.1 cable TV telecast at 8 o'clock in Adults 18–34, Women 18–34, Women 18–49 and Females 12–34 Demographics. Season 2 also dominated its cable time period, ranking No.1 across key measures Adults 18–34, Women 18–34, Adults 18–49, Women 18–49, Viewers 12–34 and Females 12–34.

On February 9, 2015, ABC Family decided to end the show with 4 seasons and a total of 104 episodes for the series. The series finale aired on August 5, 2015.

Series overview

Episodes

Season 1 (2010–11)

Season 2 (2012)

On July 11, 2011, Melissa & Joey was renewed for a second season. The show returned on Wednesday, May 30, 2012, with two back-to-back episodes.

Melissa Joan Hart

Melissa Joan Hart (born April 18, 1976) is an American actress, director, producer, singer, fashion designer, and businesswoman. She is known for her title roles in the television series Clarissa Explains It All (1991–94),Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (1996–2003), and Melissa & Joey (2010–15).

Hart has been married to musician Mark Wilkerson since July 19, 2003; together, they have three children.

Early life

Hart was born in Smithtown, New York, the first child of Paula, a producer and talent manager, and William Hart, a carpenter, shellfish purveyor, clam hatchery worker, and entrepreneur. Her maternal grandfather, Stanley John Voje, was a Navy veteran and Catholic. Hart grew up in Sayville, New York.

Hart's parents had four other children after Hart: Trisha, Elizabeth, Brian, and Emily, who are all in acting. Her parents were divorced in the early 1990s, and she moved with her mother and siblings to New York City. In 1994, her mother married television executive Leslie Gilliams, and her father also remarried. Hart has three half-sisters: Alexandra Gilliams and Samantha Gilliams, who also acted, and Mackenzie Hart, who is not in show business.