Mr. T is a pop culture icon whose name is synonymous with the catchphrase “I pity the fool!“. As an actor, professional wrestler, and a well-known entertainment personality, you might think that Mr. T net worth is quite large. In actuality, Mr T’s net worth is only an estimated $1 million.
Despite having a career that has spanned decades and a unique style that him an international superstar, Mr. T net worth leaves much to be desired. We will take an in-depth look Mr. T’s stats, personal life, career, and much more. We’ll also reveal why Mr. T’s net worth does not properly reflect his monumental popularity.
Who Is Mr. T?
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Mr. T first gained major notoriety in the 1980’s as B.A. Baracus on the television series ‘The A-Team‘ and as Clubber Lang in the movie ‘Rocky III”. The ‘Rocky’ film is where Mr. T first coined the term “I pity the fool!” and it remains an important part of his success story to this day.
He was discovered by Sylvester Stallone while partaking in NBC’s ‘America’s Toughest Bouncer’ competition. Stallone liked his style and offered him the role of Clubber Lang in the ‘Rocky’ franchise. Mr. T’s part was only intended to be minor, but the role was ultimately expanded and he became Rocky’s main adversary. In the film, Mr. T’s character if he hates Rocky Balboa, to which he replies, “No, I don’t hate Balboa, but I pity the fool.”
Soon enough Mr. T began popping up everywhere. From ‘The A-Team’ to “Silver Spoons’ and ‘Diff’rent Strokes,’ Mr. T had become a bona-fide star. Mr. T’s net worth grew significantly through much of the 1980’s as he landed a number of roles in television, commercials, and became a standout in the world of professional wrestling.
Mr. T’s Net Worth Estimate
Mr T at the NBC 75th Anniversary, NYC 5/5/2002. Editorial credit: Everett Collection / Shutterstock.com
Mr. T’s net worth is currently estimated at $1 million. Mr. T was a dominant figure in the entertainment industry for much of the 1980’s and beyond, so how is it possible that he’s only worth $1 million? Mr T’s net worth saw significant growth at the height of his fame but he faced a series of financial problems. Here you’ll find an extensive breakdown of Mr. T’s finances as well as an explanation of Mr T’s net worth.
Bodyguard
Mr. T got his first real taste of success while working as a bodyguard and bouncer at nightclubs. He gained notoriety within the entertainment industry’s biggest stars and would work tirelessly to protect famous fashion designers, models, judges, politicians, athletes, and multi-millionaires. His all-star lineup of customers included Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Steve McQueen and Mohammad Ali. With such high-profile clientele, it’s safe to assume that Mr. T was being handsomely rewarded for his services. These early jobs would serve as as the start of Mr T’s net worth.
Television
Mr. T was a money-making machine in the 1980’s. After his breakout role in ‘Rocky III,’ Mr. T played Sergeant Bosco ‘B. A.’ Baracus on the hit series ‘The A-Team’. The show ran for 5 seasons and Mr. T net worth expanded considerably during this time. He earned $800,000 per week while filming the show. In 1983 Mr. T got his own animated series on NBC titled ‘Mister T’. Following the eventual cancellation of ‘The A-Team,’ Mr. T starred in the Canadian TV series ‘T. and T.’ in 1988. Mr. T also found his way into motivational speaking. In 1984, he hosted the motivational video ‘Be Somebody… or Be Somebody’s Fool!’ and has continued to lend himself to similar projects over the years.
Professional Wrestling
As a professional wrestler, Mr. T made a name for himself and likely produced a large payday throughout his time in the ring. He made his debut in 1985 and Mr. T served as Hulk Hogan’s tag-team partner in the World Wrestling Federation. As a prominent figure in the WWF, Mr. T drew huge crowds and he would ultimately go on to win WrestleMania.
Advertisements & Product Endorsements
Because Mr. T was such a distinctive persona, the public was entranced by him. His trademark mohawk, gold chains, and catchphrase made him an advertiser’s dream. From a marketing standpoint, Mr. T was just what big brand were looking for to promote their products and businesses. Mr T net worth kept climbing when he landed gigs in various commercials for brands such as Snickers, World of Warcraft, MCI, Comcast, and Radioshack. Mr. T accumulated lots of his money through endorsements, and Forbes magazine reported that he was raking in $5 million per year in the prime of his career.
Mr. T also released his own line of merchandise and the profits significantly upped Mr T’s net worth. In fact, there was a time when you could find Mr. T’s name and likeness on just about anything. Mr. T Chia pets, cookie jars, and USB drives were all once available for purchase. Mr. T. even had his own brand of cereal that was manufactured by the Quaker Oats Company.
Financial Hardships & Re-emergence
Everybody wanted a piece of Mr. T and he kept adding to Mr. T net worth. At the height of his career, Mr. T was earning upwards of $15,000 for personal appearances. It seemed like Mr. T’s net worth would thrive forever, but his career began to significantly slow down by the 1990’s.
Around the same time that work opportunities were drying up Mr. T was diagnosed with a form of cancer categorized as lymphoma. He would have to undergo expensive treatment and his declining health led to him going on an indefinite hiatus as an actor. While focusing on his recovery, Mr. T revealed that his former fortune had dwindled down to a mere $200. Mr. T’s new worth had dropped so low that he even sold his trademark gold jewelry to financially provide for his family.
Once his health got better, Mr T’s net worth also improved. While he would never reclaim his A-list celebrity status, Mr. T has been able to secure consistent as an actor and spokesperson. In 2008 Mr. T began promoting his ‘Mr. T Flavorwave Oven’ on the Shopping TV channel.
In 2010, Mr. T’s net worth saw an increase when he landed a contract with the gold buying company, Gold Promise. According to a gold appraiser, Mr. T’s infamously flashy gold jewelry was worth $43,000 in 1983 while other outlets suggested that the gold was valued at $300,000.
Mr. T scored a voice role in the animated film ‘Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs’ in 2009 and he appeared on season 24 of ‘Dancing with the Stars’ in 2017. The starting rate for celebrity contestants on DWTS is said to be $125,000 with additional payouts for each week that they survive elimination. Mr. T and his partner were voted off in week 3 of the series.
Mr. T may not have a multi-million-dollar net worth anymore, but he was able to make a remarkable comeback after enduring some unfortunate setbacks. Mr. T’s net worth may be estimated at $1 million but his contribution to pop culture is priceless.
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Mr. T’s Early Life
Mr. T came into the world on May 21, 1952. He was given the birth name Laurence Tureaud but would eventually gain recognition as “Mr. T”. He would eventually change his name to Lawrence Tero before legally shortening his last name to ‘T’ in 1970. He added the “Mr.” to his moniker in an effort to to demand respect from others. When explaining the reason for his name change, Mr. T said that he wanted “the first word out of everybody’s mouth is “Mr.”
He grew up in Chicago, Illinois in a very large family and had eleven siblings. Long before Mr. T net worth was in the millions, money was tight and the Tureaud family lived in a cramped apartment with only three bedrooms.
Mr. T went to Dunbar Vocational High School where he was actively involved in many sports such as football and wrestling. He also took up martial arts. He was a two-time citywide wrestling champion and even won a scholarship to Prairie View A&M University. Mr. T studied as a mathematics major before getting kicked out after his freshman year.
He then worked as a gym teacher where he discovered his passion for helping children. By 1975, he joined the United States Army and served as a member of the Military Police Corps. He sought to become a professional football player in the late 1970’s, where vied for a spot on the Green Bay Packers NFL team. Professional football did not work out due to an injured knee and he soon went on to find other work as a bouncer at a nightclub. This is where his ‘Mr. T’ image really started to evolve. He began wearing the excessive amounts of gold jewelry he found left behind by clubgoers. Mr. T claims to have gotten in hundreds of fights while working as a bouncer, all of which he considered himself victorious.
Mr. T’s net worth saw an increase in revenue when he transitioned into a professional bodyguard role for the rich and powerful. This endeavor went on for almost a decade. Mr. T also became dominant competitor in strongman competitions around this time. Sylvester Stallone watched what would become Mr. T’s final fight. In an interview before the match, Mr. T quipped, “I just feel sorry for the guy who I have to box. I just feel real sorry for him.” This quote would become the inspiration for the iconic “I pity the fool” written by Stallone in Rocky III. After observing Mr. T win the match in less than 54 seconds, he offered him the role of Clubber Lang and the rest is history.
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Mr. T’s Height and Weight
Mr. T net worth may be interesting, but so are his physical stats. Mr. T’s height clocks in at 5 feet 10 inches, or 178 cm. Mr. T’s weight tips the scales at 236 pounds, or 107 kg.
Mr. T’s Personal Life and Family
There is much more to Mr. T than Mr T’s net worth. Mr. T is devout in his faith and is a born-again Christian. He married Phyllis Clark in 1971 and he is the father of three children – daughters Lesa and Erika Tureaud, and son Laurence Tureaud Jr. In 2014, a man named Alexander Taylor sued Mr. T for $5.4 million alleging that he was his ‘illegitimate child’ that the actor had abandoned. In the lawsuit, Taylor claimed to be the product of a relationship between Mr. T and Vanessa Taylor. He alleged that Mr. T walked out of his life and he went on to join a gang because of the emotional scarring his absence caused. It was later established that Mr. T was the father of Taylor.
In 1995, Mr. T was diagnosed with T-cell lymphoma, which he has since recovered from. In 2005, Mr. T stopped wearing all of his gold chains following his work to repair the damages from Hurricane Katrina. “I felt that it would be a sin before God for me to continue wearing my gold. I felt it would be insensitive and disrespectful to the people who lost everything, so I stopped wearing my gold,” he explained.
Mr. T says the Muhammed Ali is his hero and he has emulated parts his style and persona. Mr. T has also spent much of his time trying to inspire and encourage youths. He has released albums and motivational videos advocating for kids to make good choice.
Mr. T’s Social Media Influence
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Everyone knows who Mr. T is, so it makes sense that he established an online presence. Mr. T has an officially verified Twitter account, as well as an Instagram and a Facebook accounts that aren’t verified. Mr. T also has a YouTube channel. All of these social media profiles can contribute to Mr. T’s overall popularity and Mr. T net worth.
Mr. T is quite active on Twitter. His Twitter handle is @MrT and he has over 333,000 followers. In his bio he describes himself as a “Footballer, Wrestler, Soldier, Bouncer, Bodyguard & actor. Professional Pitier Of Fools”. He joined the platform in January 2012 and he seems to tweet regularly. Having that many followers could lead to various financial opportunities for Mr T net worth.
While Mr. T’s Instagram doesn’t have a blue checkmark to indicate that it’s officially verified, he promotes his Instagram account on his Twitter bio. His Instagram can be found at @officialipitythefool and he boasts over 40,000 followers. Mr. T had made over 60 posts that include personal photos and memes pertaining to his infamous persona. He also has some famous fans him, including John Mayer.
YouTube
Mr T net worth might see regular payouts from his YouTube channel if his videos are monetized. His YouTube account can be located at OfficialMrTvideos. Mr. T has over 4,000 followers on the platform. Some of his videos include a series called ‘Ask Mr. T” where he gives viewers advice for the problems that they may be having.
Mr. T’s Net Worth and Bio Summary
Mr. T has led a fascinating life. From his early years as a bodyguard to Hollywood’s elite to becoming a household name as a television and movie star. Mr. T has profited from many lucrative deals in the entertainment industry, but he’s also been faced with challenges along the way. He was making millions of dollars annually at the height of his career, almost went bankrupt, and then went on to become a millionaire once again.
| Name | Mr. T |
| Real Name | Laurence Tureaud |
| Birthdate | May 21, 1952 |
| Place of Birth | Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Occupation | Actor, Professional wrestler |
| Net Worth Estimate | $1 million |