Involved in the world of pro wrestling in 1985-86 and 1994-95. Was Hulk Hogan's tag team partner at the first WWF Wrestlemania, defeating the team of Paul Orndorff and Roddy Piper on March 31, 1985. His feud with Piper continued into Wrestlemania 2, when he defeated Piper in a boxing match by disqualification. Mr. T returned to the WWF as a special guest referee in 1987, then disappeared from the wrestling world. Seven years later, he reappeared as a special referee for a Hogan-Ric Flair match, in October 1994. He stayed with Hogan for a few matches before returning to obscurity.
He had a daughter in 1971 with Phyllis Clark. He was twice named America's Toughest Bouncer. Mr. T is the father of three children - Lesa, 29; Erika, 21; and T Junior, 14. Previous occupations include gym teacher, military policeman, bouncer and bodyguard. Once worked as a bouncer and a bodyguard to Steve McQueen, Muhammad Ali & Diana Ross. Diagnosed with cancer in 1995 at age 43. Beating the disease in 2001 at age 49. Briefly attended Prairie View A&M University near Houston, Texas c. 1971. Occasionally appears as Conan O'Brien's special guest and partner in various comedy sketches on Late Night with Conan O'Brien. [2001] Doesn't drink alcoholic beverages. While a homeowner in Lake Forest, Illinois, he clearcut 100 acres of trees located on his property, igniting a feud with neighbors and town officials. Because of his actions, landowners of the town are prohibited from cutting down trees, even on their own property, without a permit. Boxed 'ACE' Cowboy Bob Orton on WWF's Saturday Night Main Event in 1985 and was subsequentially whipped by Orton and Rowdy Roddy Piper with a belt. Voted by a BBC-run poll the fourth most influential American in history, behind Homer Simpson, Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King. When he and Hulk Hogan appeared in 1985 on SNL 25, they were promoting the World Wrestling Federation's WWF Wrestlemania pay-per-view show. They stayed mostly in character, but during a "Fernando's Hideaway" segment (Billy Crystal ), were unable to do so during most of that skit. Hulk Hogan wrote in his autobiography that Mr. T almost ruined the main event of the first Wrestlemania, because when he arrived, security would not let his entourage into the building. Mr. T was ready to skip the show until Hogan personally talked him out of leaving. "Rowdy" Roddy Piper mentioned that he and other fellow wrestlers legitimately disliked Mr. T, because he was an actor coming into wrestling, and had not paid his dues as a professional wrestler. Compiled a 4-0 Shoot-Wrestling Record. Was once parodied on the animated GI Joe series of the 1980s with a character called "Mr. C", who was a spokesman for the evil COBRA cable network (the character then joined GI Joe after the COBRA cable3 network was destroyed). If you ask him what his real name, he will tell you, "My first name is 'Mr,' my middle name is 'period,' last name is 'T'" Stopped wearing his trademark gold chains as of last year (2005) because of the Katrina devastation. Derived his signature look from a National Geographic photo of a Mandika warrior in Mali.