<Tr> <Th> Original release </Th> <Td> October 29, 1981 (1981 - 10 - 29)--May 12, 1987 (1987 - 05 - 12) </Td> </Tr> <P> Gimme a Break! is an American sitcom that aired on NBC for six seasons from October 29, 1981 until May 12, 1987 . The series starred Nell Carter as the housekeeper for a widowed police chief (Dolph Sweet) and his three daughters . </P> <P> The sitcom takes place in Glenlawn, a fictional California suburb (certain episodes differ as to of what California city suburb was Glenlawn). Nellie Ruth "Nell" Harper (Nell Carter) agrees to look after the Kanisky household as a special favor to her dying friend Margaret Huffman Kanisky (played in flashback by Sharon Spelman), who was the wife of police chief Carl Kanisky (Dolph Sweet), serving as a parental figure to the Chief's three teenage daughters, Katie (Kari Michaelsen), Julie (Lauri Hendler), and Samantha (Lara Jill Miller). A foster son, Joey (Joey Lawrence), was added to the Kanisky household in Season 3 . </P> <P> Five episodes into the sixth and final season, the show changed locales from Glenlawn to New York City, when Nell, concerned for Joey's welfare after he moved there with his absentee father, traveled there to check on him . She subsequently assumed guardianship of Joey and his younger brother Matthew (played by Joey Lawrence's real - life brother Matthew Lawrence) at their father's request and was forced to permanently relocate there after Chief Kanisky's father Stanley (John Hoyt) sold the family's Glenlawn home . </P>

Who played joey on gimme a break