'Pawn Stars': Fun Facts About Rick Harrison!

Here are 10 things you may not have known about Rick Harrison, the entrepreneur who became a star thanks to 'Pawn Stars', one of the History Channel's most successful programs.

Rick Harrison was not born in Las Vegas! Although he owns one of the most successful pawn stores in Las Vegas, Rick Harrison is not a native of the famous "sin city". Rick is originally from Lexington, North Carolina, the city where he was born on March 22, 1965. In 1981, the Harrison family moved to Nevada, where they started their famous pawn shop business.

Rick Harrison almost became a father at age 17. Thanks to 'Pawn Stars', we have all been able to witness the good relationship Rick Harrison has with his first son, Corey, with whom he works at the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop. However, something that very few people know is that the charismatic History program host was about to become a father when he was only 17 years old. Rick's first girlfriend, Kim Harrison, became pregnant and had a miscarriage in 1981, two years before Corey's birth.

Before avoiding fakes, Rick Harrison was in the business of... selling fakes! "I don't know Rick, it sounds fake" is a phrase Rick Harrison's surely heard on numerous occasions during his teenage years. Although today he shies away from them, Rick's first job was selling knock-off Gucci handbags. According to his biography 'License to Pawn: Deals, Steals and My Life at the Gold & Silver', Harrison was very interested in selling pirate bags because it allowed him to earn close to $2,000 dollars a week.

Rick Harrison suffered from epileptic seizures. Although 'Pawn Stars' has never shown a special interest in the private lives of its stars, many intimate facts about Rick Harrison and his family have been revealed over the years. One of them indicates that Harrison suffered from epileptic seizures during his childhood, which prevented him from participating in sports activities and instead led him to become an avid reader. Today, the disruption that causes crashes in the Pawn Shop owner's business is under control.

Rick Harrison had to take on the state of Nevada in order to establish his pawn store. Although pawn stores were never banned in Las Vegas, a state rule limited the establishment of the Harrison family's store. In response, Rick called the state statistical office every week in order to obtain an extraordinary license. In 1989, the city obtained the number of inhabitants allowed to promote more pawn store licenses. The Harrisons sued the state and won, which allowed them to be granted permission to establish their store as a 24-hour pawn store.

Rick Harrison offered the idea of 'Pawn Stars' to HBO. After talking to a few producers about the possibility of making a reality show based in his store, Rick Harrison approached HBO with the idea that would later become 'Pawn Stars'. However, the channel behind hits such as 'Game of Thrones' and 'Big Little Lies' decided not to approve the project. Years later, the History Channel took up the idea, changed the format and approved the project under the name 'Pawn Stars'.

Rick Harrison's television career is not only limited to 'Pawn Stars'. In addition to appearing in 'Pawn Stars', Rick Harrison has allowed himself to participate in other small-screen projects. In 2012, Rick, his son Corey and Chumlee took part in the episode 'i Lost My Head in Vegas' of the youth series iCarly from Nickelodeon. Also that year, Rick played the owner of an antique store in the series 'The Middle' on ABC.

Rick Harrison has been married three times! Although today he boasts of his love for Deanna Burditt, Rick is no stranger to getting married on numerous occasions. In 1982, Rick married his teenage sweetheart and mother of his two children, Kim. They divorced in 1985. A year later, in 1986, Harrison married Tracy, whom he met on a blind date arranged nine months after their divorce. Their marriage came to an end in 2011. Finally, in 2013, Rick Harrison married his girlfriend Deanna Burditt, who had also previously been divorced twice.

Rick Harrison has considered entering politics. Parallel to his career in 'Pawn Stars', Rick Harrison has been no stranger to expressing his political preferences to his audience. In 2016, the History Channel star endorsed Donald Trump's presidential campaign and welcomed his victory. He also endorsed former WWE wrestler Daniel Rodimer in his race for a congressional seat in Nevada in 2020.