Richard Benjamin Harrison
Richard Benjamin "The Old Man" Harrison | |
|---|---|
| Born | Richard Kevin Harrison March 4, 1941 |
| Other names | The Old Man (nickname) Benny[1] |
| Occupation(s) | Businessman Reality Television Personality |
| Years active | 1988–Present |
| Children | Richard Kevin "The Spotter" Harrison[2] |
Richard Benjamin Harrison (known by the nickname The Old Man) (born March 4, 1941),[3] is a Las Vegas businessman and reality television personality, best known as the co-owner of the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop, as featured on the History series Pawn Stars. Harrison is co-owner of the pawn shop with his son Richard Kevin Harrison, which they founded together in 1988, when the elder Harrison was 47.[4]
Harrison is usually referred to by his nickname, "The Old Man",[5] which he earned at age 38, according to the episode "Fired Up".[6]
Early life
Richard Benjamin Harrison[7][8] was born March 4, 1941 in Danville, Virginia to Richard Harrison, a handyman, and his wife, Ruth. When Harrison was one year old, his family moved to Lexington, North Carolina, where they lived on Peacock Avenue, just off South Main Street.[1][9]
Career
Harrison was in the U.S. Navy for 20 years.[1]
Harrison and his son Rick founded the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop less than two miles from the Las Vegas Strip in 1988. The business was founded to mainly pawn items, but also accepts items to buy and sell. The most common ittem brought into the store is jewelry.[10] As of July 2011, the store has 12,000 items in its inventory,[11] 5,000 of which are typically held on pawn.[12] According to episodes of Pawn Stars, Harrison is the first to arrive at the shop in the morning,[13] and has not had a sick day since 1994.[14]
Harrison and his son spent about four years pitching the idea of making a show about a pawn shop after their shop was featured in the show Insomniac with Dave Attell in 2003, but their efforts did not yield success. In 2008, Brent Montgomery and Colby Gaines of Leftfield Pictures came up with an idea about a reality show based in a Las Vegas pawn shop and approached Harrison.[15] The series was originally pitched to HBO, though the network preferred the series to have been a Taxicab Confessions-style series taking place at the Gold & Silver's night window. Nancy Dubuc, of the History Channel changed the format which included the on-camera experts appraising the items brought into the Gold & Silver as well as include personality dynamics of the stores staff and patrons. Initially to have been titled Pawning History, the program was renamed Pawn Stars at the suggestion of a Leftfield staffer, playing off the term "Porn Stars" for more marketing appeal. The show features Harrison and his son, Rick Harrison, along with his grandson Corey and Corey's childhood friend and employee Austin "Chumlee" Russell. In January 2011, Pawn Stars was the highest rated program on the History channel, and second highest rated reality show program behind Jersey Shore.[16]
Awards and recognition
On May 29, 2012, Harrison was awarded a key to the city of Lexington, his hometown, by Lexington Mayor Clark Newell, in the Lexington City Council Chamber, and the day was also officially "Richard Harrison's Day".[17][18][19]
Personal life
Harrison is particularly passionate about automobiles, showing an interest in all types of cars,[20] from the 1966 Chrysler Imperial his son and grandson had restored for his 50th wedding anniversary[21] to the mid-1960s B&Z Electra-King electric car shown to them in "Honest Abe", which he suggested could be converted into a golf cart.[22]
References
- ^ a b c Steve Huffman (February 18, 2011). "'The Old Man' from 'Pawn Stars' recalls growing up in Lexington". The-Dispatch.com. Retrieved June 2, 2012.
- ^ Harrison, Rick (2011). License to Pawn: Deals, Steals, and My Life at the Gold & Silver . Hyperion. 2011. New York. ISBN 978-1-4013-2430-8
- ^ "Pawn Stars’ Richard “Old Man” Harrison Celebrates 70th Birthday", VegasNews.com, March 4, 2011
- ^ Gary Strauss (February 18, 2010). "From 'Pawn Stars' to 'Pickers,' America's trash is TV's treasure". USA Today. Retrieved June 2, 2012.
- ^ Meet the Pawn Stars: The Old Man "The Appraiser". History.com. Retrieved February 10, 2011.
- ^ "Fired Up". Pawn Stars. Season 2. Episode 1. November 30, 2009. History.
- ^ Barker, Victoria (May 9, 2012). "TV's hidden treasures". AsiaOne Showbiz. Retrieved June 6, 2012.
- ^ Bob Shemeligian (July 13, 2010). "Road to 'Pawn' – Before 'Stars,' Rick made sandwiches". New York Post. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
- ^ "Pawn Stars’ Richard "Old Man" Harrison Celebrates 70th Birthday". Vegas News. March 4, 2011
- ^ "Pezzed Off". Pawn Stars. Episode 2.15. History. January 25, 2010
- ^ "Face the Music". Pawn Stars. Season 4. Episode 39. July 25, 2011. History.
- ^ "The Wright Stuff". Pawn Stars. Season 4. Episode 44. August 15, 2011. History.
- ^ "Phoning it In". Pawn Stars. Season 3. Episode 11. July 12, 2010. History.
- ^ "Big Guns". Pawn Stars. Season 2. Episode 24. March 8, 2010. History.
- ^ Fixmer, Andy. "Pawn Stars: Our Most Revealing Reality Show". Bloomberg Businessweek. October 21, 2010
- ^ Seidman, Robert. "'Pawn Stars' Delivers 7 Million Viewers, An All-Time High for History". TV by the Numbers. January 25, 2011
- ^ Deenisha Edwards (May 29, 2012). "'Old Man' Harrison honored by city for 'Pawn Stars' success". The-Dispatch.com. Retrieved June 2, 2012.
- ^ Scott Gustin (May 29, 2012). "Lexington's 'Pawn Star' to be given key to city". My Fox 8.com. Retrieved June 2, 2012.
- ^ Strip Scribbles: Steve Wynn’s L.V. neighbors — in N.Y.; Ray J hospitalized Las Vegas Sun. May 22, 2012
- ^ His passion for cars is mentioned in the first season episode "Rope a Dope" and the third season episode "Honest Abe". He mentions in the second season episode "Sharks and Cobras" that he has owned 40 cars in his life.
- ^ "Old Man's Booty", Episode 2.3, History, December 7, 2009
- ^ "Honest Abe" Pawn Stars, Episode 3.26, History, November 1, 2010