History of Rick Harrison in Timeline

Richard Kevin "Rick" Harrison is an American businessman and reality television personality best known for co-owning the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop in Las Vegas. The shop is the central location for the History Channel's reality show, *Pawn Stars*, which propelled him to fame. He opened the shop with his father, Richard Benjamin Harrison, in 1989 and has since become a prominent figure in the pawn industry and a recognizable face in popular culture.

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Full Timeline Early Life & Education

1955: Las Vegas Pawn License Law

In 1955, a Las Vegas law was enacted that limited the issuance of new pawn licenses based on the city's population.

March 22, 1965: Rick Harrison's Birth

On March 22, 1965, Richard Kevin Harrison, also known as Rick Harrison, was born. He would later become a businessman and reality television personality.

Others born on this day/year

1967: Family Relocation to San Diego

In 1967, when Rick Harrison was two years old, his family relocated to San Diego, California, due to his father's job transfer.

April 1981: Relocation to Las Vegas

In April 1981, the Harrison family relocated to Las Vegas, Nevada, after his parents' real estate business collapsed.

1981: Opening of Gold & Silver Coin Shop

In 1981, Rick Harrison's father opened his first secondhand store, the Gold & Silver Coin Shop, on Las Vegas Boulevard South.

April 27, 1983: Birth of Corey Harrison

On April 27, 1983, Rick Harrison's first child, Corey, was born. This occurred after his girlfriend Kim became pregnant and they subsequently married despite a miscarriage.

1988: Pursuit of Pawn License

By 1988, Rick Harrison tracked Las Vegas's population to apply for a pawn license once the city reached 250,000 residents, due to a 1955 law restricting new licenses.

1989: Opening of Gold & Silver Pawn Shop

In 1989, Rick Harrison and his father, Richard Benjamin Harrison, opened the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop. They co-owned the shop until his father's death in 2018.

2001: Super Bowl Ring

In 2006, the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop had a 2001 New England Patriots Super Bowl ring that belonged to American football cornerback Brock Williams.

2003: Pawn Shop Featured on TV

In 2003, Rick Harrison's pawn shop was featured in the show Insomniac with Dave Attell, after which he spent four years pitching the idea of making a show about a pawn shop.

2005: Loan Statistics

By 2005, Rick Harrison and his father were loaning out approximately $3 million annually, which brought them about $700,000 in interest income.

2006: Reputation for Special Sports Items

By 2006, the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop had developed a reputation for carrying special sports items with unique histories. They also served gamblers.

2008: Approach by Leftfield Pictures

In 2008, Brent Montgomery and Colby Gaines of Leftfield Pictures approached Rick Harrison with an idea for a reality show based in a Las Vegas pawn shop.

February 2009: YouTube Video Incident

In February 2009, a YouTube video titled "Pawn star$" featured Corey Harrison threatening an intruder and a woman demanding the return of a wedding ring sold to the shop.

2010: Most Common Items in the Store

According to Rick Harrison in 2010, jewelry is the most common item brought into the store. His inventory typically has a ratio of 5,000 items pawned per 12,000.

2010: Pawnbroker of the Year Award

In 2010, Rick Harrison was awarded the Pawnbroker of the Year Award by the National Pawnbrokers Association for his contributions in enlightening the public about the pawn industry.

January 2011: Pawn Stars Rating

In January 2011, Pawn Stars was the highest-rated program on the History Channel and the second-highest-rated reality show.

June 26, 2011: License to Pawn on The New York Times Best Seller list

On June 26, 2011, Rick Harrison's biography, License to Pawn: Deals, Steals, and My Life at the Gold & Silver, reached No. 22 on The New York Times Best Seller list.

License to Pawn: Deals, Steals, and My Life at the Gold & Silver

Check it on Amazon

November 3, 2012: Appearance in iCarly

On November 3, 2012, Rick Harrison appeared as himself, alongside his son Corey and Chumlee, in "iLost My Head in Vegas", an episode of the American TV series iCarly.

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November 7, 2012: Appearance in The Middle

On November 7, 2012, Rick Harrison appeared as an antique store owner in "The Safe", an episode of the TV series The Middle.

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2012: Engagement to Deanna Burditt

In 2012, Rick Harrison, twice divorced, announced his engagement to Deanna Burditt, who was also twice divorced.

July 21, 2013: Marriage to Deanna Burditt

On July 21, 2013, Rick Harrison married Deanna Burditt in Laguna Beach, California. Counting Cars star Danny Koker performed the ceremony, and Chumlee served as a ring bearer.

January 2014: Spokesperson for Micro Touch One Razor

In January 2014, Rick Harrison became the spokesperson for the Micro Touch One Razor, a personal care shaving product for men, and appeared in a television commercial promoting the product line.

June 2014: Premiere of United Stuff of America

In June 2014, History premiered United Stuff of America, a series from the producers of Pawn Stars that focuses on notable historical artifacts.

July 2014: Premiere of Pawnography

In July 2014, Pawnography premiered on the History Channel. Rick Harrison, Corey, and Chumlee competed against players in a game show to prevent them from winning cash and items from the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop's inventory.

2016: Adam Harrison and Pawn Stars

According to Corey, in a 2016 HuffPost article, Adam Harrison had no apparent interest in appearing on Pawn Stars.

June 2018: Death of Richard Harrison

Richard Harrison, also known as "The Old Man" on Pawn Stars, passed away in June 2018.

2018: Death of Richard Benjamin Harrison

In 2018, Richard Benjamin Harrison, Rick Harrison's father, passed away. He co-owned the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop with Rick Harrison until his death.

2018: Self-Description as Libertarian

In a 2018 interview on Fox News, Rick Harrison described himself as "more of a libertarian" than a conservative, stating that history proves less government leads to a better economy.

September 2020: Divorce from Deanna Burditt

In September 2020, Rick Harrison and Deanna Burditt divorced.

2020: Political Support in 2020

In 2020, Rick Harrison supported Donald Trump's candidacy for president and Daniel Rodimer for Nevada's 3rd congressional district.

2021: Marriage to Amanda Palmer

In 2021, Rick Harrison married Amanda Palmer.

2022: Potential Run for Governor

In 2022, Rick Harrison considered a potential run for governor of Nevada.

March 2023: Interest in Running for U.S. Senate

In March 2023, Rick Harrison told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that he had been approached by many in the party regarding a potential run for U.S. Senate.