Rick Harrison

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