# Joey Zimmerman
**Joey Zimmerman** (full name Joseph Paul Zimmerman, also credited as J. Paul Zimmerman) is an American actor, producer, director, and writer, born in 1986 in [Albuquerque, New Mexico](https://www.edgepedia.org/albuquerque-new-mexico), best known as a [child actor](https://www.edgepedia.org/child-actor) of the 1990s for the science-fiction series *Earth 2* and for playing Dylan Piper in the [Disney Channel](https://www.edgepedia.org/disney-channel)'s *Halloweentown* film series.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0956726/bio/) • [3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/joey-zimmerman/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1986, Albuquerque, New Mexico; family moved to San Diego when he was a toddler[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0956726/bio/) |
| Screen debut | Aged six, in the NBC television movie *Jack Reed: Badge of Honor* (1993)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0956726/bio/) • [2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/zimmerman-joey-1986-j-paul-zimmerman-joseph-zimmerman) |
| Series regular roles | Ulysses Adair in *Earth 2* (NBC, 1994–95) at age eight; Eric Kipper in *Bailey Kipper's P.O.V.* (CBS, 1996) at age eleven[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0956726/bio/) • [2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/zimmerman-joey-1986-j-paul-zimmerman-joseph-zimmerman) |
| Signature film role | Dylan Piper in four *Halloweentown* films, 1998 to 2006[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/zimmerman-joey-1986-j-paul-zimmerman-joseph-zimmerman) |
| Awards | Young Artist Award, 2001, for *Becker*; four nominations for *The Mommies*, *Earth 2*, *Cupid*, and *Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge*[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/zimmerman-joey-1986-j-paul-zimmerman-joseph-zimmerman) |
| Work behind the camera | Executive producer, director, editor, and screenwriter of *Dogg's Hamlet, Cahoot's Macbeth* (2005)[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/zimmerman-joey-1986-j-paul-zimmerman-joseph-zimmerman) |
| Later screen work | *Roswell FM* (2013), his most recent listed acting credit[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/joey-zimmerman/) |
## Early life and start in acting
Zimmerman was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and his family moved to San Diego while he was still small. His interest in acting came early; according to his IMDb biography he inherited it from his father, and he made his screen debut at age six in *Jack Reed: Badge of Honor* (1993). His break came the following year, when he played Ben, the youngest son of [Jamie Lee Curtis](https://www.edgepedia.org/jamie-lee-curtis)'s character, in the psychological thriller *Mother's Boys* (1993).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0956726/bio/) • [2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/zimmerman-joey-1986-j-paul-zimmerman-joseph-zimmerman)
Before his screen work he had already appeared in television commercials, including for GE Healthcare and [McDonald's](https://www.edgepedia.org/mcdonalds).[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/zimmerman-joey-1986-j-paul-zimmerman-joseph-zimmerman)
## Series regular roles
Zimmerman held leading juvenile roles in two television series in quick succession. In *Earth 2*, NBC's science-fiction series of 1994–95, he played Ulysses "Uly" Adair, the son of [Debrah Farentino](https://www.edgepedia.org/debrah-farentino)'s character Devon Adair, at the age of eight.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0956726/bio/) • [2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/zimmerman-joey-1986-j-paul-zimmerman-joseph-zimmerman) Two years later, at eleven, he played Eric Kipper, the title character's son, in the children's comedy *Bailey Kipper's P.O.V.* on CBS.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0956726/bio/) • [4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/54126/joey-zimmerman)
## The Halloweentown series
The role Zimmerman is most identified with is Dylan Piper, the middle child and only son of Gwen and William Piper, in Disney Channel's *Halloweentown* franchise. He played the part in all four of the films he appeared in: *Halloweentown* (1998), *Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge* (2001), *Halloweentown High* (2004), and *Return to Halloweentown* (2006). For the final film he was credited as J. Paul Zimmerman.[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/zimmerman-joey-1986-j-paul-zimmerman-joseph-zimmerman) • [4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/54126/joey-zimmerman)
His other film work from the same period includes Adam Berkow Jr. in *Very Bad Things* (1998) and the lead role of Timmy Taylor in *Treehouse Hostage* (1999), opposite [Jim Varney](https://www.edgepedia.org/jim-varney).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0956726/bio/) • [2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/zimmerman-joey-1986-j-paul-zimmerman-joseph-zimmerman)
## Guest roles and awards
Through the late 1990s and 2000s Zimmerman accumulated guest appearances across network television: as Dracula in a *Frasier* [Halloween](https://www.edgepedia.org/halloween) episode (1997), Dennis in *Nothing Sacred* (1997), Chuckie in *Caroline in the City* (1998), a role in *Cupid* (1999), [Matthew Anderson](https://www.edgepedia.org/matthew-anderson) in *Felicity* (1999), young Hyde in *That '70s Show* (2000, returning as Hyde at thirteen in 2002), Jeff Andrews in *Becker* (2000), Steven Jamison in two episodes of *The Practice* (2000), Luke in two episodes of *7th Heaven* (2000), a soda kid in *Lizzie McGuire* (2003), and Stranger #2 in *In Plain Sight* (2010).[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/zimmerman-joey-1986-j-paul-zimmerman-joseph-zimmerman) • [4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/54126/joey-zimmerman)
The Young Artist Awards, which honor performers under 21, recognized him repeatedly: nominations for outstanding youth ensemble for *The Mommies* (1994), for *Earth 2* (1995), for *Cupid* (2000), and for *Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge* (2002), and a win in 2001 for best guest-starring young performer in a television comedy series, for *Becker*.[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/zimmerman-joey-1986-j-paul-zimmerman-joseph-zimmerman)
## Work behind the camera
Zimmerman moved into filmmaking on his own account with *Dogg's Hamlet, Cahoot's Macbeth* (2005), an adaptation of [Tom Stoppard](https://www.edgepedia.org/tom-stoppard)'s paired one-act plays on which he served as executive producer, director, and editor, and wrote the screenplay.[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/zimmerman-joey-1986-j-paul-zimmerman-joseph-zimmerman) [TV Guide](https://www.edgepedia.org/tv-guide)'s TV Insider describes him as an actor, producer, director, and writer.[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/joey-zimmerman/)
His last widely listed screen appearance is the independent film *Roswell FM* (2013), in which he played Chris.[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/joey-zimmerman/)
## Personal interests
As a child Zimmerman fenced, and at an *Earth 2* convention in 2000 he challenged his former co-star [Clancy Brown](https://www.edgepedia.org/clancy-brown) to a fencing duel. He later turned to writing, and a short sketch of his was performed on stage.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0956726/bio/)
## People of the same name
The name is shared by several unrelated performers. The Swiss-German stage and screen actor **Joey Zimmermann**, spelled with two n's, was born in 1961 in London, trained at the Acting Academy in Zurich, and held a regular engagement at the Theater Aachen from 2005 to 2012; he is a different person.[5](https://www.schauspiel.ch/en/actors/joey-zimmermann) The American stand-up comedian Joe Zimmerman, whose album *Smiling at Wolves* reached number 2 on iTunes in 2014 and who has appeared on *Conan* and *Last Comic Standing*, is also distinct.[6](https://thecomicscomic.com/2015/08/25/meet-me-in-new-york-joe-zimmerman/)
## References
1. [Joey Zimmerman – Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0956726/bio/)
2. [Zimmerman, Joey 1986– (J. Paul Zimmerman, Joseph Zimmerman), Encyclopedia.com](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/zimmerman-joey-1986-j-paul-zimmerman-joseph-zimmerman)
3. [Joey Zimmerman – Actor, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/joey-zimmerman/)
4. [Joey Zimmerman, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/54126/joey-zimmerman)
5. [Joey Zimmermann, Schauspiel.ch](https://www.schauspiel.ch/en/actors/joey-zimmermann)
6. [Meet Me In New York: Joe Zimmerman, The Comic's Comic](https://thecomicscomic.com/2015/08/25/meet-me-in-new-york-joe-zimmerman/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Film people and crafts › Film actors and performers › Child and young film performers*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 20, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 20, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license