I pity the fool who doesn't know that Mr. T was born on this day in Chicago in 1952. Formally named Laurence Tureaud, the well-known and perpetually mohawked actor is best known for his time playing Sgt. Bosco "B. A." Baracus in the 1980s action show "The A-Team," which is about four veterans on the run who were accused of a crime they didn't commit. Tureaud was a veteran in real life, having enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1975. He was considered a top recruit and worked as a military police officer. Unsurprisingly, he also worked as a bouncer and a bodyguard for famous actors, which led to him getting noticed by Sylvester Stallone.
In case his tough guy bonafides weren't strong enough, one story from his time in the army stands out. While on a training exercise in Wisconsin in 1976, according to the Department of Defense, Tureaud broke a minor rule and was punished by being forced to chop down trees. He knocked down 70 trees in an hour (not a typo) and was ordered to stop. Turns out his high energy in-character came from a real place.
