Rick Harrison

An appraisal expert, Rick Harrison gained television fame as one of the stars of the top-rated reality series "Pawn Stars" (The History Channel, 2009- ). Richard Kevin Harrison was born in 1965 in Lexington, NC to JoAnne Rhue Harrison and Richard Benjamin Harrison, Jr., a former U.S. Navy veteran. In 1967, the family relocated to San Diego, CA following his father's transfer. Harrison suffered from epileptic seizures since he was eight years old, which confined him to bed for extended periods and fueled his love of reading, particularly history books. In the 1980s, the Harrison family moved to Las Vegas, NV, where he and his father opened The World Famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop, located less than two miles from the Las Vegas Strip. Referred to by his family and customers as the "The Spotter," Harrison earned his nickname because he reportedly had a knack for spotting anything fake or stolen, particularly when it came to high-ticket items that most people would mistakenly purchase for much more than their real value. He often acted as a middleman between his father, whom everyone called "The Old Man," and his son, Corey "Big Hoss" Harrison, who also worked at the store. In 2009, the Harrisons allowed cameras into their lives and became unexpected reality stars on the History Channel's hit series "Pawn Stars."

The show exposed the family's quirky interactions with their customers, as they negotiated over the prices of items and discussed their historical value. Millions of television viewers began to know Harrison as the likeable appraisal expert, The Old Man as the store's tough and gruff negotiator, and his son Corey as the third-generation pawnbroker who loved to purchase big-ticket items that often needed expensive restoration. The show also featured Corey's childhood friend, Austin "Chumlee" Russell, a fan favorite who had a penchant for buying items that amused him rather than for their value. Thanks to the series' popularity, Harrison was often asked to appear as an expert on many talk shows like "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" (NBC, 1992-2013), as well as on similar-themed antiques and collectible shows like "American Pickers" (The History Channel, 2010- ). He also received the Pawnbroker of the Year Award in 2010 from the National Pawnbrokers Association for his contributions in helping to reenergize the pawn industry in America. In 2011, his biography License to Pawn: Deals, Steals, and My Life at the Gold & Silver earned a spot on the New York Times Bestseller List; the book chronicled his journey from opening the infamous pawnshop to finding television stardom.

By Candy Cuenco