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Mr. T was born Laurence Tureaud on May 21, 1952 in the southside of Chicago. He has 12 brother and sisters. Mr. T's father left when he was 5 and his mother had to raise the family on an $87 a month welfare check. Mr. T is such a big guy because his older brothers encouraged him to lift weights so he could protect himself in the ghetto. Mr. T loves his mother dearly and says, "Any man who don't love his momma can't be no friend on mine."

Mr. T was an average student in school who was a star in football and wrestling. He was awarded with an athletic schloarship to Prairie View A&M University but was thrown out and had to attend smaller colleges in Chicago on scholarship as well.

Mr. T was a military policeman in the U.S. Army after college. Later on, he was invited to try out for the Green Bay Packers, but he hurt his knees and had to quit. When his football career was over, Mr. T became a bodygaurd for the stars. He has protected such stars as Muhammed Ali, Leon Spinks, Michael Jackson, Steve McQueen, Diana Ross, and Lavar Burton. Mr. T made $3000 a day as a bodygaurd and his business card read, "Next to God, there is no better protector than I."

When Mr. T wasn't working as a bodygaurd he was a bouncer. He worked at Dingbat's Club in Chicago. Ron Riskman, the club owner, says, "He'd confront trouble makers and say to them 'It's only fair to warn you that my patience is as long as the hair on my head." Mr. T was shaved completely bald at the time.

In 1975 Mr. T worked as a gym teacher in Chicago. In 1978 Mr. T was rebaptised in the Cosmopolian Community Church in Chicago. Mr. T is a very religeous man.

In 1982, Mr. T meet Sylvester Stallone on the TV show, "Games People Play." Stallone wanted Mr. T to be in the movie "Rocky III", and originally Mr. T was to have just a few lines, but Mr. T evolved in the movie as one of the main characters. Mr. T has been in many other movies and also had his own television show "The A Team". Today Mr. T spends alot of his time with his family and in shelters for abused children. Mr. T says, "There's no telling how many lives you can turn around."

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