13. In 1983, Mr. T performed the role of the jolly gift-giver for a delighted Nancy Reagan
Becoming a breakout star following his appearance in Rocky III as Clubber Lang, Laurence Tureaud – more commonly known as Mr. T – quickly became one of the most famous faces in the United States as a result of his role of B.A. Baracus in The A-Team. Visually identified by his signature jewelry, valued at hundreds of thousands of dollars and taking more than an hour each day to put on, the colossal strongman grew to epitomize American excess and perceived strength during the more culturally traditional years of the 1980s which a saw a push-back against the counter-culture of the late-1960s and 1970s.
Most bizarrely of all, however, in 1983 Mr. T was invited to the White House Christmas Party in order to perform the role of Santa Claus. Getting allegedly rather excited at the appearance, the usually demure and stern First Lady Nancy Reagan, as caught on camera, got sufficiently into the spirit of the performance she went and sat on Mr. T’s lap to ask for what she wanted for Christmas. Clearly enjoying themselves and developing an unsuspecting friendship, on January 19, 1985, Mr. T served as an introducer during the 50th Presidential Inaugural Gala the day before Ronald Reagan’s second inauguration.