At the height of his fame he was draped in $300,000 worth of gold, but a bizarre $1.3m property “massacre” and a shock health battle saw Mr. T’s world come crashing down.
The man born Laurence Tureaud became a global icon as B.A. Baracus in The A-Team and Clubber Lang in Rocky III, but his exit from the spotlight was paved with a property scandal that outraged the neighbourhood.
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Mr. T became a global icon as B.A. Baracus in The A-Team. Picture: Universal Home Video Australia.
The ‘Lake Forest Chainsaw Massacre’
In 1987, the former wrestler sparked international headlines when he personally chopped down more than 100 oak trees at his sprawling $US860k ($A1.3m) mansion in Lake Forest, Chicago.
Mr. T claimed the trees were aggravating his severe allergies. However, his wealthy neighbours were so appalled by the environmental destruction they dubbed the event the “Lake Forest Chainsaw Massacre”.
The incident forced local authorities to pass a tree-preservation ordinance to stop similar “massacres” from happening again.
Mr. T later deeded the estate to his girlfriend, Phyllis Clark, in 1993. She eventually sold the property in 1999 for $US2.4 million ($A3.4 million).
Mr. T later deeded the estate to his girlfriend, Phyllis Clark, in 1993. Picture: Google Maps
From millions to $200
Despite being one of the most recognisable faces on the planet, the actor’s bank account told a different story by the late 1990s.
In 1998, while battling a rare form of T-cell lymphoma he was diagnosed with in 1995, the star faced financial difficulties.
“I’m probably broke. I’ve probably got $200 in the bank,” he told Entertainment Tonight at the time.
He revealed he had given his famous jewellery to his family to sell for survival.
“Material stuff … You can only take it to the grave, not past the grave,” he said.
Sylvester Stallone with Mr. T in scene from the film Rocky III.
The road back
Supported by his then-wife Phyllis, the mother of his three children, Mr. T underwent gruelling chemotherapy and radiation.
He ultimately made a full recovery and began a slow climb back to financial stability.
The actor, now 73, famously stopped wearing his signature gold chains following 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 it would be a sin before God for me to continue wearing my gold,” he said.
The actor famously stopped wearing his signature gold chains following the Hurricane Katrina disaster in 2005.
What is Mr. T worth now?
The star has since rebuilt his fortune through high-profile endorsements with brands like Snickers and Fuze Ice Tea.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Mr. T has recovered from his $200 lows and maintains a substantial fortune of $US1 million ($A1.5 million).
He now maintains a private life with homes reportedly in Chicago and Albuquerque.
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