Mr. T

Mr. T was born Laurence Tureaud on May 21, 1952 in Chicago, Illinois. Mr. T is an American actor, motivational speaker, wrestler, bodyguard and TV personality. Mr. T is best known for his roles as Sgt. "B. A." (Bad Attitude) Baracus in the 1980s television series The A-Team, as boxer James "Clubber" Lang in the 1982 film Rocky III, and for his numerous appearances in the WWF and as a professional wrestler. The youngest of twelve children, his father left the family when Tureaud was 5. His mother raised the family on $87 a month welfare in a three-room apartment in Chicago's Robert Taylor Homes housing project. Out of respect for his mom, Tureaud stayed out of trouble while attending Dunbar High School. He played football, wrestled, studied martial arts and won several athletic scholarships. After leaving school, Tureaud became a military policeman in the U.S. Army, before trying out for the NFL football team Green Bay Packers. The persona of Mr. T was created during his employment as a bouncer. His job as a bouncer led to a ten year career as a bodyguard to the stars. He protected such famous people as Muhammad Ali, Steve McQueen, Michael Jackson, Leon Spinks, Joe Frazier and Diana Ross. Mr. T's big break came when he caught the attention of Sylvester Stallone while taking part in NBC's "America's Toughest Bouncer" competition. His role as a boxer in Rocky III was the entry into a career where he would be recognized and beloved by millions. In 1995, Mr. T was diagnosed with a rare type of T-cell lymphoma. He fought the cancer and beat the disease in 2001. Mr. T has remained active with voice-over, commercial and charity work. He starred in the reality show I Pity the Fool in 2006 and has recently done commercial work for the online game World of Warcraft.