B.A. Baracus
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Sgt. Bosco "B.A." Baracus is a fictional character in the 1980s action/adventure television series, The A-Team played by Mr. T.
The A-Team is a group of ex-United States Army Special Forces who were wrongly convicted of a crime during the Vietnam War. Managing to escape from the military police, they fled to Los Angeles, where as fugitives, the A-Team work as soldiers of fortune, using their military training to fight oppression or injustice. B.A., along with Hannibal Smith, Templeton "Faceman" Peck, and H.M. "Howling Mad" Murdock make up the A-Team.
A rough-and-tough fighter, the character of B.A. Baracus is basically that of the public persona of Mr. T himself. He is known for his trademark mohawk hairstyle and his gold jewelry. While the other members of the team regularly resort to disguises, scams and subterfuge to achieve their goals, B.A.'s distinctive appearance and confrontational attitude usually lead to a more direct approach to problems, which often involve either his skills at hand to hand combat, or his mechanical talents. As revealed in the pilot episode, the "B" in B.A. stands for Bosco, however it is never explained what the "A" stands for. In recent years, many sources have listed B.A.'s middle name to be "Albert" — however, this was never mentioned in the series or any of the publicity that went with it. When asked what the "B.A." stood for, the standard reply is "Bad Attitude" (it is said he used to enjoy beating up senior officers in Vietnam). (The more obvious expression, "Bad-Ass", would have been over the TV censorship line at the time.) B.A.'s childhood nickname was "Scooter", which he detested.
He is a highly-skilled mechanic and has an amazing talent for making impressive machinery out of just about any ordinary parts that they have available to them. Hannibal once said to B.A., "With a pair of pliers and a little time, you could fix anything but dinner." He is also an excellent fighter and is invaluable in hand-to-hand combat. Because of his massive size and strength, he has a unique fighting tactic, which involves grabbing his opponents, lifting them over his head, and hurling them in the air. He is easily angered to the point of rage, and often greets people with a growl or a snarl. He is most often upset by Murdock and frequently addresses him with the phrase "You crazy fool!" Despite his reputed attitude, he is a nice guy at heart. He has a special fondness for children, occasionally working at a day care center teaching sports to the kids.
A teetotaler, B.A. never touches alcohol, preferring milk instead. He suffers an intense fear of flying, especially when the plane in question is flown by Murdock. This difficulty is often overcome by other members of the team drugging him, knocking him unconscious, or, as in one episode, hypnotizing him, so he can be transported without objection. However, in one episode, he is on a plane pretending to be a maintenance technician with Murdock when the plane suddenly takes off. He immediately falls into a catatonic state while Murdock tries to revive him. Furthermore, in two episodes "The Sound of Thunder" and "Quarterback Sneak" B.A. hops onto a helicopter which is piloted by Murdock. Perhaps one could say in dire situations, B.A. is willing to fly, and indeed he voluntarily boards an airplane to travel to Chicago when his mother is in danger, although this is not shown on-screen. As revealed in a few episodes, B.A. and Murdock share the same blood type—AB negative, the rarest type.
B.A. drives a customized 1983 GMC van, painted black and grey with a red stripe, black and red rims, and a rooftop spoiler. B.A. is extremely protective of his van, and becomes furious if it gets the smallest scratch. He refuses to let anyone else drive it, with the notable exception of episode 12 of the third season, Hot Styles, in which B.A. mysteriously only appears for a few seconds. In fact, B.A. usually insists on driving, no matter what vehicle.
In some Spanish speaking countries, he was known as "Mario Baracus"; in Spain, as "M.A.", for "Mala Actitud", the exact translation of the original; in Italy his moniker was rendered as P.E. for 'Pessimo Elemento' (roughly assimilable to 'Bad Guy'), and in France he was referred to as Barracuda.
B.A. Baracus appeared on The A-Team from the series beginning in 1983 until its cancellation in 1987.
