Mr T is arguably one of the most famous figures in pop culture, thanks to his larger-than-life personality, iconic one-liners ("I pity the fool") and instantly recognizable gold chains. The father of three seemed to rule the '80s after starring as Clubber Lang in 1982's Rocky III, and as B.A. Baracus in The A-Team from 1983 to 1987.
Despite his incredible fame, Mr T has largely faded from the spotlight in recent years, yet surprised fans with an unexpected appearance at the funeral of Jesse Jackson in March.
The 73-year-old's journey in Hollywood has been filled with highs and lows, particularly after the star endured financial strain following his cancer diagnosis in 1995.
© NBCUniversal via Getty ImagesOn the rise
After leaving the military as a young man, Mr T made a name for himself as a bodyguard to the stars, charging anywhere between $3,000 to $10,000 a day to protect the likes of Michael Jackson, Muhammad Ali, Steve McQueen and Diana Ross.
He then appeared on a reality competition show, where he was spotted by Sylvester Stallone and given the starring role in Rocky III, which launched his Hollywood career.
In his role in The A-Team, Mr T was reportedly earning up to $80,000 per week, and he followed this up with a starring role in the Canadian TV show T and T from 1988 to 1990.
© Eric RobertProperty plans
Mr T's properties have landed him in the hot seat in the past, including when he chose to chop down 100 oak trees around his $860,000 home in Lake Forest, Chicago, due to an allergy issue. Locals named the event the "Lake Forest Chainsaw Massacre", and it led to a tree-preservation ordinance being passed by authorities.
The Chicago property was later given to Mr T's ex-wife, Phyllis Clark, in 1993, and she sold it for $2.4 million six years later. The former bodyguard now reportedly lives between his homes in Chicago and Albuquerque.
© Ron Galella Collection via GettyHard times
Despite appearing in '90s films like Freaked, The Terrible Thunderlizards, Spy Hard and Inspector Gadget, work dried up for Mr T, leading to a loss of income. This was exacerbated by a cancer diagnosis in 1995, which he fought for six years before entering remission.
He was diagnosed with T-cell lymphoma, and shared his reaction with Coping at the time. "Can you imagine that? Cancer with my name on it – personalized cancer!" he said.
"My fame couldn't save me. My gold, my money, couldn't stop cancer from appearing on my body. If they can't save me, then I don't need them."
© Ron Galella Collection via GettyFinancial strain
He added that he had sold his famous gold chains due to financial strain. "I'm probably broke. I've probably got $200 in the bank. I gave [my jewelry] to my family for them to sell, make money, whatever they want to do. Material stuff…You can only take it to the grave, not past the grave," he told Entertainment Tonight.
© Ron Galella Collection via GettyGiving up the gold
Even after he was declared cancer-free, Mr T decided to scale back on his flamboyant jewelry, due to the Hurricane Katrina disaster in 2005.
"As a Christian, when I saw other people lose their lives and lose their land and property…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 told Sky News.
© Getty Images for SkechersBouncing back
Mr T bounced back from financial crisis thanks to a series of endorsement deals with brands like Snickers, Fuze Ice Tea, World of Warcraft and Skechers, and reportedly has a net worth of $1 million.
