Questions
What is Mr. T’s real name?
He was born Laurence Tureaud on May 21, 1952, in Chicago, Illinois. He legally changed his last name to "T" in 1970 when he was 18.
Why did he call himself Mr. T?
He wanted respect, saying that once he was old enough to fight, drink, and vote, he was old enough to be called a man. He picked the name so the first word out of everyone’s mouth would be "Mr."
What did Mr. T do before acting?
He worked as a bouncer at Chicago’s Dingbats Discotheque from 1977 to 1979 and reportedly was in over 200 fights. He also spent nearly a decade as a bodyguard, reportedly protecting celebrities like Steve McQueen, Michael Jackson, and Muhammad Ali.
Is it true he won a toughest bouncer competition?
Yes, he won consecutive tough-man competitions on NBC. In one boxing match he reportedly defeated a 280-pound Honolulu bouncer named Tutefano Tufi in just 20 seconds.
Why does Mr. T wear all that gold jewelry?
Customers would lose gold chains during fights at the nightclub where he worked, so he wore the pieces conspicuously to help people reclaim their property without confrontation.
What was his breakout movie role?
He played the antagonist Clubber Lang in 1982’s Rocky III opposite Sylvester Stallone. It launched him to fame as one of the decade’s most recognizable tough guys.
Where did "I pity the fool" come from?
The line comes straight from Rocky III. Stallone reportedly based Clubber Lang’s dialogue on a pre-fight interview where Mr. T said he just felt sorry for the guy he had to box.
What is Mr. T best known for on TV?
He starred as Sergeant B.A. Baracus on The A-Team from 1983 to 1987, appearing across 97 episodes. He reportedly earned $80,000 per week for the role.
What is the story behind his Mohawk?
He was inspired by Mandinka warriors of West Africa whom he reportedly discovered in National Geographic, and he adopted the hairstyle as a statement about his African heritage.
Did Mr. T have his own cartoon?
Yes, Ruby-Spears produced Mister T on NBC in 1983. The 30-episode series featured Mr. T owning a gym and helping a team of gymnasts solve mysteries.
Did Mr. T ever wrestle at WrestleMania?
He teamed with Hulk Hogan in the main event of the very first WrestleMania in 1985, beating "Rowdy" Roddy Piper and "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff. He was later inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on April 5, 2014.
Did Mr. T battle cancer?
In 1995 he was diagnosed with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (mycosis fungoides). Once in remission he joked about having "personalized cancer" with his name on it.
Why did he stop wearing his gold chains?
After helping with cleanup following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, he stopped wearing his iconic gold jewelry out of respect for victims who had lost everything.
Was Mr. T on Dancing with the Stars?
Yes, he competed on Season 24 in 2017 paired with professional dancer Kym Herjavec, finishing in 10th place. He vowed to donate his earnings to Saint Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Shriners Hospitals for Children.
What are some of his other roles?
He appeared in Penitentiary II (1982) and DC Cab (1983), and voiced Officer Earl Devereaux in Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009). He also became a fan of curling, supporting the U.S. Olympic team at the 2018 and 2022 Winter Olympics.
