Colonel John "Hannibal" Smith

In the original series George Peppard, well known for starring alongside Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's, landed the roll of Hannibal after auditioning for the part of Vin. James Coburn, star of The Magnificent Seven was originally being considered for the lead.

The character Hannibal is the leader of a rogue Army Special Forces unit who were, as the opening narration states, "sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit". Hannibal took command of the team as he did in battle, going on the lamb to become "soldiers of fortune."

Fighting in both the Korean and Vietnam wars he rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, but is often referred to as simply Colonel.

When not on a case with The A-Team, Hannibal strives towards his dream of being a famous actor. But being a fugitive he is forced to take on rolls that involve elaborate disguises. His talent for slipping into other identities earned him the title of "master of disguise". His most famous disguise is "Mr. Lee" the owner of a Chinese laundromat through whom prospective clients must pass before the A-team will take on their case.

George Peppard passed away May 8, 1994

Sergeant Bosco Albert "B.A." (Bad Attitude) Baracus

While the other members of the team regularly resort to disguises, scams and subterfuge to achieve their goals, B.A.'s impressive build and tough guy attitude usually lead to a more direct approach to problems. Trained in the Jamaican Defense Force he excellent fighter and is invaluable in hand-to-hand combat.* If his raised fist is not a persuasive enough negotiator, usually lifting the unsuspecing opponent and tossing them end over end in the air will settle the dispute.

But more than just brute strength, B.A. is a highly-skilled mechanic and has an amazing talent for making impressive machinery out of just about any ordinary parts. Hannibal once said to B.A., "With a pair of pliers and a little time, you could fix anything but dinner."*

B.A. 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!"

In spite of a tough guy attitude B.A. Has a tender side, a teetotaler, B.A. never touches alcohol, preferring milk instead. He also suffers an intense fear of flying, especially when the pilot is Howling Mad Murdock. Hannibal doesn't let B.A's fear keep them grounded always fining a clever way to slip B.A. tranquilizers.

B.A. is also the owner of the A-team's trademark van, a 1983 customized GMC black and grey van with a red stripe, black and red rims and a rooftop spoiler. B.A. is extremely protective of his van and often insists on driving.

Lieutenant Templeton "Faceman" Peck

A smooth talker and a scrounger who is an expert at picking locks, Face seems to be able to get his hands on just about anything they need. Living his childhood as an orphan gave Face the ability to talk anybody, especially sympathetic women, into or out of just about anything. His good looks and snappy wardrobe probably doesn't hurt his cause.

Because of his talent as a con artist, Face generally lives the high life, staying in ritzy apartments and wearing expensive suits. In spite of what may seem to be less than honorable traits Hannibal generally trusts Face to handle the teams money. Though his trust did waver a little when the A-team investigated a case for Face in "The Only Church in Town"

It's hard to believe that Face was ever a soldier, he has a particular way of turning his nose up at violence that would have one believing he has no desire to get his hands dirty. This seems to be a matter of personal distaste rather than lack of fighting ability, since in some episodes Face shows considerable fighting prowess, handling numerous opponents on his own. However if B.A. happens to be nearby Face wont shy away from calling for help, especially if Murdock is pestering him.

Face was originally played by Dirk Benedick an actor who got his first big break in 1978 when he appeared as Lieutenant Starbuck in the movie and television series Battlestar Galactica. Four years later Dirk landed the roll in The A-Team. He did not appear in the Pilot film - creators Stephen J. Cannell and Frank Lupo had wanted him from the beginning, but the network executives insisted that they wanted a different sort of actor in the role. Tim Dunigan was given the part; but upon completion of the pilot, the executives decided he wasn't quite right after all and gave the roll to Benedict.

Dirk Benedict
Official Site: dirkbenedictcentral.com

Captain H. M. "Howling Mad" Murdock

Considered the best chopper pilot of the Vietnam War, Murdock is officially declared mentally unstable, but is in fact exceptionally good at pretending he is.

The symptoms of his "insanity" vary from episode to episode, but include self-identification with fictional characters, hallucinations, and belief in the "intelligence" of inanimate objects, among others. He often "channels" a certain character for the duration of a mission.* Much to B.A.'s displeasure Hannibal often encourages these characters realizing that Murdock is most focused when he is pretending to be someone else.

Though he was often the A-Team's chopper pilot in Vietnam, he was never tried by the military for the robbing of the Bank of Hanoi. If the team's ever gets a little to close for comfort to a military prison, it it often Murdock who must act alone to plan their rescue mission. Though seemingly insane his plans are often quite cunning.

Murdock is interned at a Veterans Administration (VA) Psychiatric Hospital. He is quite happy to be getting free room and board and has no desire to be found sane. Yet in spite of his fondness for the hospital he finds frequent chances to stretch his legs in the outside would when Face, dressed as a doctor comes to bail him out for help on another of the A-Team's missions.

The mental hospital uses animals as therapy to calm the patients, but Murdock has picked up an invisible pet dog, "Billy". B.A., uneasy with Murdock's unusual behavior, is easily angered by Murdock and regularly refers to him with his trademark line " you crazy fool". However anyone who knows the team well knows that B.A has a fondness for Murdock and his threats are his way of looking out for Murdock and are more out of a desire to see his comrade fit in well with normal society.

Dwight Schultz
Fan Site: dwightschultzfansite.nl

*souses: wikipedia