Born Lawrence Tureaud (his father later changed his name to Tero), this Chicago bar bouncer-turned-TV star was one of the biggest pop icons of the 1980s, starring not only on the A-Team, but in movies, and lots of consumer products, as well. The tenth of 12 kids, Mr. T grew up in the Robert Taylor homes. He was a good athlete, twice winning the 165 pound all-city wrestling title, and helping Dunbar Vocational win the public school league football championship. He played football for a year at Prairie View A&M, before being expelled after a student riot.
At the age of 20, he officially changed his name to Mr. T, and began working as a bouncer at a number of local bars. He eventually got his first prominent job as a stylish bodyguard for heavyweight boxer Leon Spinks in 1978. A few years later, he won a "World's Toughest Bouncer" contest on NBC's "Games People Play."
Shortly thereafter, he was invited to audition for a role in Rocky III, and then got his own show, "The A-Team," which led to a large number of merchandising deals and other side projects.
After buying a huge Lake Forest estate, he moved to Los Angeles, and has over the past decade or so, gradually disappeared from the public view.
