Mr. T isn’t just someone who brought the character of B.A. Barracus to life on the cult classic television show, “The A-Team.”
The man born Lawrence Tureaud is a Chicago native and a son of a preacher, who initially tried out for a career in the NFL after a failed stint in college and a successful military career, per Biography. But when his bid to become the next Deion Sanders failed, he got a job working as a bouncer at various Chicago nightclubs, where he quickly earned a fierce and fearsome reputation, eventually becoming known as one of the toughest doormen in the city.
It was in the Chicago nightclubs, in fact, that the “Mr. T” persona was born: after the night was over, Tureaud would go around collecting all the lost and misplaced gold chains around his neck, and it eventually became the most defining part of his persona. But in 2005, he decided to stop wearing gold chains altogether after witnessing the tragedy suffered by those in the path of Hurricane Katrina.
“As a Christian, I said I would never wear my own gold again because of what happened with Hurricane Katrina. It would be a sin against God for me to wear my gold when so many people lost everything,” he said to the New York Daily News (via Digital Spy). “Sure, it’s my trademark, but I am the same person whether I’m wearing the gold or not. My moral values are the same. The gold don’t make me, I make the gold.”
And that’s not the only thing that’s inspiring about Mr. T’s story. Let’s take a look at all the ways he earned his $1 million net worth, per Celebrity Net Worth.
Editorial note: The net worth listed in this piece is a speculative estimate drawn from a variety of online sources.
Acting Career
Even though Mr. T’s best-known role was as Bosco “B.A.” Barracus on the classic television show, “The A-Team,” he’s had several other notable acting roles as well. His IMDb page reveals that he’s starred in such movies as “Rocky III” and “Not Another Teen Movie.” He’s also had several voiceover roles in such films as “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs”and on such television shows as Disney’s “House of Mouse.”
Wrestling Career
For a time, Mr. T had a thriving wrestling career. Back when the WWE was known as the WWF, the McMahon family had a gimmick where Mr. T was known as “The Enforcer” of the company. As a heel, he faced off against some of the biggest superstars of his day, including “Macho Man” Randy Savage and Hulk Hogan.
In 2014, Bleacher Report was on hand when Mr. T was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. At the ceremony, he kindly spoke about how the company helped shape him into the man he is today.
“I was honored they gave me the opportunity to really tell people more about the man behind the character of Mr. T. That’s why I wanted to talk about my mother and give her credit for what she is. She made me everything I am and I wanted the kids to see that. That was the greatest part of it for me. Coming back and seeing the old wrestlers and the new fans was really heartwarming for me,” he said.
Motivational Speaking
In 2006, Mr. T starred in a hit television show called “I Pity The Fool,” where he served as a motivational speaker and a life coach for the contestants. And that show, really, was the first time that the public at large had learned about the actor’s “second life” as a motivational speaker and quasi-preacher. But longtime fans of Mr. T knew that he’d often spend his days preaching, and giving motivational speeches, to various Christian churches across the country, as the above clip from 2003 demonstrates.
Other Business Ventures
Currently, Mr. T is a spokesman for Aaron’s rent-to-own stores. In the past, he’s had spokesman contracts with companies like Snickers and Fuze Iced Tea.
Bernadette Giacomazzo
Bernadette Giacomazzo is the SEO Manager at Blavity, Inc. She is also a NYC-based editor, writer, photographer, and publicist with a career spanning more than two decades in the entertainment industry. Her work has been featured in People, Teen Vogue, BET, HipHopDX, XXL Magazine, The Source, Vibe, The Los Angeles Times, and more. Giacomazzo is also the author of The Uprising Series and is the CEO of G-Force Marketing & Publicity, which has been featured in The Hollywood Reporter and has obtained film, television, radio, and print placements for blue-chip clients all over the world. She will release "In Living Color: A Cultural History" on Rowman & Littlefield Press in February 2023, and "The Golden Girls: A Cultural History" on Rowman & Littlefield Press in August 2023.
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