Mr. T is 72 Today!
Laurence Tureaud is celebrating a big birthday today – he’s 72!
Of course, you probably know him as Mr. T, but also as B.A. Baracus from the TV show “The A-Team” or maybe Clubber Lang from the movie “Rocky III!”
Mr. T was one of those guys you grew up with in the ’80s. You probably remember him for his distinctive hairstyle, gold jewelry, and catchphrase “I pity the fool!”
These days, Mr. T is taking a kinder and gentler approach to life than his tough-guy persona of the 1980s. He posted on Instagram this morning that he was spending his birthday with those less fortunate!
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In honor of Mr. T’s 72nd birthday, here’s 10 things you probably didn’t know about him!
- He was the youngest son in a family of 12 children!
- He gave himself the nickname Mr. T as a way of commanding respect once he was 18.
- He tried out for the Green Bay Packers but didn’t make the team due to a knee injury.
- He was a bodyguard for years, protecting Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, and even boxer Muhammad Ali!
- Sylvester Stallone spotted Mr. T on NBC’s “America’s Toughest Bouncer” in 1980 and that’s how he got the part of Clubber Lang.
- Forbes has described Mr. T as “one of the most enduring pitchmen in the business” for his work in ads for Atari, Snickers and RadioShack.
- He entered the world of professional wrestling in 1985 but others admit not liking him because he was an actor and not a professional wrestler.
- He was diagnosed with T-cell lymphoma in 1995 and is now in remission.
- He has four children.
- He is a born-again Christian and frequently posts about his faith on his Instagram account.
Happy 72nd birthday to Mr. T!
