Richard Benjamin Harrison was the son of Richard Harrison Sr and Ruth Harrison. There is no information about his parents on the internet as they kept their lives away from the limelight.
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In April 1981, faced with financial challenges, Harrison and his wife, with only $5,000 to their name, moved to Las Vegas. Teaming up with his son Rick, they opened the Gold & Silver Coin Shop, a venture that would eventually evolve into the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop. The journey wasn’t without obstacles, including legal struggles to obtain a pawn license. However, by 1989, they opened the pawn shop at 713 Las Vegas Boulevard South, laying the foundation for a business that would gain international fame.
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From July 19, 2009, until his passing on June 25, 2018, Harrison, alongside his son Rick, grandson Corey, and Austin “Chumlee” Russell, starred in the reality television program ‘Pawn Stars.’ Portrayed as the stern yet wise “Old Man,” Harrison contributed to the show’s massive success. The Gold & Silver Pawn Shop’s popularity soared, and the program became the highest-rated show on the History Channel within ten weeks of its debut.
Harrison’s contributions to the community and the success of ‘Pawn Stars’ were acknowledged through various awards and recognitions. In March 2010, he, along with his son, grandson, and Chumlee, received the key to the city of Las Vegas. Similar honors followed, including a key to his hometown, Lexington, and a declared “Pawn Stars/Gold & Silver Pawn Day” by the Clark County Commission.
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