While his unmistakable style (gold chains, Mohawk) demeanor (crossed arms, sneer) and catchphrase ("I pity the fool!") made Mr. T an '80s icons, they eventually turned him into a pop-culture punch line. Yet despite his gruff exterior and imposing physique, Mr. T has maintained an impressively positive outlook throughout his tumultuous life. Born the 11th of 12 children and raised in a tough Chicago 'hood, he came to the attention of Sylvester Stallone after winning the "World's Toughest Bouncer" contest, which led to his breakout role as a fearsome boxer in 1982's
Rocky III. But it was his five-season stint on the campy, testosterone-heavy action series
The A-Team that turned him into a star. Aware of his limitations, Mr. T substituted attitude for acting talent and acquitted himself well in a tongue-in-cheek way. During the height of his fame, he starred in an eponymous children's cartoon, released a rap album (
Mr. T's Commandments), peddled a motivational video (
Be Somebody or Be Somebody's Fool) and even had his own breakfast cereal! But that success was short-lived. By the '90s, not only was he a barely employable has-been, he was also diagnosed with cancer. Yet as he had done many times before, he triumphed over adversity, and in the '00s he resurfaced with an inspirational reality show, named after his favorite phrase.
Mr. T Fast Facts:
- Auctioned off his jewelry — a collection of over 400 necklaces, seven ankle chains, nine rings and seven earrings — after seeing the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina, claiming that the gold was "an insult to God."
- Mr. T Relationships:
- Erika - Daughter
- Lesa - Daughter
- Phyllis Clark - Significant Other
- T. Junior - Son
- College:
- Attended Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, TX
