Mr. T was born Laurence Tureaud on 1952, in the rough south side ghetto of Chicago. He is the second to youngest of twelve children (he has four sisters and seven brothers) and grew up in the housing projects. His father left when Laurence was 5, and his mother raised the family on $87 a month welfare in a three-room apartment.
Mr.
T's brothers encouraged him to build up his body in order to survive in
the area; he has commented, "If you think I'm big, you should see my
brothers!" His mother is a religious woman who has had a strong
influence on him. He says, "Any man who don't love his momma can't be no
friend of mine." He was an average student in school. "Most of the
time," he says, "I stared out the windows, just daydreaming. I didn't
study much because I have a photographic memory." Apart from one spell
between 5th and 7th grades when he went a little astray -- playing
hooky, cursing, acting tough, being disrespectful -- he was a
well-behaved child. (He worried about how his mother would feel if he
ended up in jail, and stayed out of trouble.)
He attended Dunbar
Vocational High School. He was a football star, studied martial arts,
and was three times city wrestling champion. He won a scholarship to
play football at Prairie View A&M University in Texas, but he was
thrown out after a year.
- IMDb Mini Biography By: <veggie@L0pht.com>
- IMDb Mini Biography By: <veggie@L0pht.com>
Spouse
| Phillys Clark | (1971 - ?) (divorced) (2 children) |
Trade Mark
Gruff dramatic voice
Frequent line "I pity the fool..."
Mohawk hairstyle
Wearing gold chains
Trivia
He had a daughter in 1971 with Phyllis Clark.
He was twice named America's Toughest Bouncer.
Mr. T is the father of three children - Lesa, 29; Erika, 21; and T Junior, 14.
Previous occupations include gym teacher, military policeman, bouncer and bodyguard.
Diagnosed with cancer in 1995 at age 43. Beating the disease in 2001 at age 49.
Occasionally appears as Conan O'Brien's special guest and partner in various comedy sketches on Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993) (2001).
Doesn't drink alcoholic beverages.
While a homeowner in Lake Forest, Illinois, he clearcut nearly 100
trees located on his 7 1/2 acre property, igniting a feud with
neighbors and town officials. Because of his actions, landowners of the
town are prohibited from cutting down trees, even on their own property,
without a permit.
Boxed "Ace" Cowboy Bob Orton on WWF's Saturday Night Main Event in 1985 and was subsequently whipped by Orton and Rowdy Roddy Piper with a belt.
When he and Hulk Hogan appeared in 1985 on Saturday Night Live (1975), they were promoting the World Wrestling Federation's WrestleMania (1985) pay-per-view show. They stayed mostly in character, but during a "Fernando's Hideaway" segment (Billy Crystal), were unable to do so during most of that skit.
Hulk Hogan
wrote in his autobiography that Mr. T almost ruined the main event of
the first Wrestlemania, because when he arrived, security would not let
his entourage into the building. Mr. T was ready to skip the show until
Hogan personally talked him out of leaving.
"Rowdy" Roddy Piper
mentioned that he and other fellow wrestlers legitimately disliked Mr.
T, because he was an actor coming into wrestling, and had not paid his
dues as a professional wrestler.
Compiled a 4-0 Shoot-Wrestling Record.
If you ask him what his real name, he will tell you, "My first
name is 'Mr', my middle name is 'period', last name is 'T'".
Stopped wearing his trademark gold chains as of 2005 because of the Katrina devastation.
Has frequented Harry Caray's
restaurant in Chicago. One waiter described Mr. T as a generous tipper
who would bring his own golden eating utensils. Often, he'd bring his
mother with him. While Mr. T was friendly toward would-be autograph
seekers, there was one cardinal rule: do NOT disturb him while he was
eating.
Defeated Kevin Sullivan at Starrcade 1994.
Fans often dubbed his "Sgt. B.A. Baracus" from El equipo A (1983) as standing for "Bad Ass" or "Bad Attitude".
WWE Hall of Famer.
Personal Quotes
[Playboy magazine - September 1983] I am the best bodyguard,
because I'll take a bullet, I'll take a stab wound, I'll take a hit
upside the head; I'm like a Kamikaze pilot; The President got shot
because his men relaxed.
I believe in the Golden Rule - The Man with the Gold... Rules.
I pity the fool... [his trademark quote]
When I was growing up, my family was so poor we couldn't afford to pay attention.
As a kid, I got three meals a day. Oatmeal, miss-a-meal and no meal.
I think about my father being called 'boy', my uncle being called
'boy', my brother, coming back from Vietnam and being called 'boy'. So I
questioned myself: "What does a black man have to do before he's given
the respect as a man?" So when I was 18 years old, when I was old enough
to fight and die for my country, old enough to drink, old enough to
vote, I said I was old enough to be called a man. I self-ordained myself
Mr. T so the first word out of everybody's mouth is 'Mr.' That's a sign
of respect that my father didn't get, that my brother didn't get, that
my mother didn't get.
You're arguing over $45? My lunch cost $45!
Today's action stars, they're not a team. They're in it for themselves. They may be A-Listers but they are not El equipo A (1983).
[on Rocky Balboa
(2006)] I was asked to do it. Not do a fight scene but appear in a
cameo. But it wouldn't work out scheduling wise. I thought it was good
but the fighter in it was weedy. The first Rocky (1976) and Rocky III (1982) are the best.
[on the new movie version of El equipo A
(2010)] There is only one A-Team. That's why me or any of the other
guys won't do it. It won't be like the original. When we did it no one
got hurt. There will be people dying in this one and there will be sex.
Not R-rated sex but sex scenes. They are going in a different direction.
If they don't want me as B.A., then I'm not going to settle for second
best.
(Gifs and photos: source_Tumblr)
