Mr. T: The Golden Path Of An '80s Icon | TheRichest.com
Mr. T, an icon of the 1980s, after years of struggle and hard work, paved a golden path for himself. An army veteran who turned into a bouncer and bodyguard for the famous before becoming a celebrity himself, Mr. T has had a long and winding road to gain stardom. Born as Laurence Tureaud in Chicago, Illinois, he was the youngest son in a family of twelve. He grew up in a housing project with the highest poverty rate in America. Surrounded by violence from an early age, Mr. T decided to choose a different path for himself. He pushed through academics, sports, military service, and the entertainment industry to amass the recognition and respect he has garnered over the years.
Struggling through difficult times, Laurence kept his head high. While most folks do not use their fame to help others, Mr. T was undoubtedly not one of them. He used his status to conduct charity work and create a positive impact on society. His goal was always to set an ideal example for the youth.
There is a lot to Mr. T than just starring in action programs and carrying around a tough persona that was adored by many. Here’s a look at Mr. T’s journey to becoming an icon.
Growing up in a small apartment with a large family came with its challenges. However, Mr. T found an outlet by channeling his energies to become a fantastic athlete in high school. He played soccer and was an amateur wrestler at Dunbar Vocational High School. This led him to receive a sports scholarship at Prairie View A&M University. He was, however, expelled after the first year of college.
After his expulsion, he decided to change paths. He applied for the U.S Army and served in the U.S Military Corps. He outperformed everyone in the troop, received a letter of recommendation from his sergeant and was named ‘Top Trainee of the Cycle’ out of six thousand troops. Being a talented soccer player, Mr. T didn’t want to miss an opportunity and tried out for the Green Bay Packers. Unfortunately, he failed to do so due to a knee injury.
After this minor setback, Laurence decided to change his persona and adopted the nickname Mr. T. The reason behind the name lay in the racial oppression and poverty, which he believed to be a pattern of disrespect towards him and his family. He decided to add the ‘Mister’ to his name to gain the respect he sought.
The change of name also meant a change in appearance. This was the time when Mr. T created his iconic appearance, wearing his signature gold chains and crowing his mohawk hairstyle. He found work as a bouncer and evolved that career into becoming a bodyguard for a decade.
His local celebrity reputation in Chicago earned him a table with the famous. His long list of high-profile employers included Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, and boxers like Mohammad Ali and Joe Frazier. He participated in several reality shows, including NBC’s ‘America’s Toughest Bouncer,’ and won the contest. That was the time when he caught the eye of the legendary actor Sylvester Stallone.
Sylvester Stallone allowed Mr. T to act in Rocky III as Clubber Lang, where his infamous catchphrase “I pity the fool!” became famous. After the success of Rocky III, Mr. T landed a role on the show The B.A Team as B.A. Baracus in 1983. His character as a firm yet gentle sergeant was beloved by all. The show gave him exposure to a mainstream audience who tuned in to watch the show.
Mr. T also launched a show where he played himself as an animated character who owned a gym and helped solve mysteries and crimes. The show was a tremendous success and ran for 30 episodes. As his career reached heights, Mr. T reportedly earned $80,000 per week on The A-Team and $15,000 for special appearances, which hiked his net worth to $1 million.
Hulk Hogan was becoming successful in the world of wrestling during the same time. With the launch of WrestleMania in 1985, Vince McMahon teamed Mr. T with Hulk Hogan for the first main event match, which the pair won.
He later appeared with Hulk Hogan again and defeated Kevin Sullivan. In 2014, Mr. T was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, one of the biggest honors for a wrestler. He even gave a rousing speech about his struggles growing up and gave a tribute to his mother.
During the mid-90s, Mr. T took time off from work after he was diagnosed with T-Cell Lymphoma, but he remained upbeat and battled through cancer to emerge victoriously. After that, he took minor acting roles and lent his voice to animated projects like The Simpsons and Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs.
Known for his signature heavy collection of gold chains and jewelry, Mr. T honored his family, heritage, and religion. Although in 2005, after Hurricane Katrina hit the gulf coast, Mr. T discontinued wearing heavy jewelry to commemorate those suffering and started donating more, which was the depiction of his generosity.
Mr. T returned to mainstream media in 2017 after he participated in the reality show Dancing With The Stars and showed off his graceful side. The popularity of Mr. T has fizzled over the years, although he has remained one of the biggest head-turners since the 80s. He is a true inspiration who teaches folks how to harness their inner strengths in times of turmoil to become successful.
Source: Green Backs Magnet, Eighties Kids, Sports Casting, The Vintage News
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