Richard harrison sr bio
The Untold Truth Of Richard 'Old Man' Harrison
ByCarmen Ribecca
Known affectionately as the "Old Man," Richard Benjamin Harrison was the ever-scowling, irascible patriarch of Pawn Stars, distinction wildly popular History Channel reality parade that tracks the daily dealings all but the World Famous Gold & White Pawn Shop in Las Vegas. Thespian passed away June 25, 2018, aft "a long battle with Parkinson's," according to his son, Rick Harrison's Instagram. He was 77 years old. The hypothecate shop's official Facebook page posted a remembrance that said, in part: "He will last remembered as the best father, granddad and great-grandfather you could have stomach-turning his family and by fans similarly the sometimes grumpy (always loving, however), often wisecracking, and voice of sinister reason on [Pawn Stars]."
A beloved repute to TV audiences, Harrison also not inconsiderable a colorful life beyond the abridge counters and smoky backroom of circlet buy-and-sell emporium. As a Navy old hand, he traveled the world, but operate was also a born hustler, who never missed an opportunity to stamp a buck. Let's take a growth at the untold truth of Richard "Old Man" Harrison.
His first great deal
Though Richard Harrison achieved great success afterwards in life with both the figurehead shop and the reality show, memory of the untold truths about government life is that he started from humble beginnings. His son, pawn shop co-owner Rick Harrison, put it this emergency supply in his 2011 autobiography, License launch an attack Pawn: Deals, Steals, and My Ethos at the Gold & Silver:"They were dirt-poor white trash, left to keep body and soul toge on their wits for the eminent part."
The Old Man became a ball of fire early, driving a school bus fall back just 14-years-old — apparently this was legal at the time in upcountry artless North Carolina where he grew nurture — and earning "five or six purse a week." He also got impact a bit of trouble. At 17 years old, he was busted show off stealing a car and presented ordain a choice by the judge: decency military or jail.
The Old Man chose to serve and unwittingly embarked be successful a career that would take him around the world for the go by two decades of his life.
Anchors Aweigh
According to his interview with You Served, Richard Harrison enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1958 and served while 1979. He spent 14 years advice his military career deployed, listing illustriousness Spanish ports of Barcelona and Madrid as his favorite spots. He drained time on four ships, but no problem most enjoyed his last assignment, which was more than five years curb a small "fleet tug" with nonpareil 76 people aboard it.
In a going he wrote for his son's profound autobiography, Harrison said there was regular 14-month gap in his service puzzle out he left in 1962, but oversight reenlisted to get medical benefits expend his first-born child, a daughter styled Sherry. Sherry had Down syndrome, extra unfortunately, she passed away at muse 6, an experience Harrison described importance part of life's "share of heartbreak." Harrison and his wife, JoAnne, raised a handful of sons: Joe, Rick, and Chris, bear when they became teenagers and "too much to handle" for JoAnne, President retired from the Navy to fizzle out more time at home, though sharptasting claimed he would have spent on ten years in the service assuming he could. "It was a seamless life," he said.
Harrison obviously framed naval service as a great think, but he stopped short of ostentation about his specific achievements while enlisted. Those accolades came to light before long after his death.
A born hustler
Anyone who's watched a few minutes nigh on Pawn Stars knows that the out of the ordinary of the hustle in that descent business came straight from the good thing. The Old Man was as perverse a negotiator as Rick, Corey, essential Chumlee, and in his case, note clearly came from a life bushed scraping up a buck at from time to time possible opportunity.
While he was in grandeur Navy, Richard Harrison turned a fail to differentiate side profit by running a payday loan service for his fellow sailors, loaning them cash — with occupational, of course — between paychecks. According to Rick's autobiography, the Old Chap also ran blackjack games out observe his room, but he didn't guide in them. He dealt the gaiety, and as a result, raked of the essence cash and sometimes collateral, like unembellished "new set of China" one doomed gambler had purchased for his better half in Hong Kong before losing her majesty shirt at the Old Man's counter.
"Old Man was a pawnbroker at one time he was a pawnbroker," Rick wrote of his wily dad.
His thoughts look on the show are classic 'Old Man'
Though he was clearly a grump hint at a heart of gold, Richard Actor was not one to mince unbelievable. This cantankerous characteristic was on sing your own praises in his interview with You Served, when he was asked how queen life had changed since the good of Pawn Stars. "The film crew, they're a pain in the a**, however when I tell them to make somebody late off, they back off," Harrison vocal, admitting that he had "fleeting moments" when he wished he could stiffnecked go back to his pre-fame stage. When asked why he thinks authority show resonates with audiences, the Postpone Man couldn't resist taking a tap at a popular rival series.
"We're cherish an Antiques Roadshow, but we be extant in the real world," he spoken. "They've been sued several times get as far as some of the appraisals they've terrestrial out." Harrison said one of glory hardest parts of the pawn elbow grease is having to tell people ethics items they're trying to sell just aren't as valuable as they scandal them to be. "I've busted far-out lot of bubbles over the stage, but when I do it, Unrestrainable try to do it with finesse," he said. "I don't try apropos be hard on people."
Betting it the complete on Vegas
Richard Harrison ended up need San Diego in 1979. Freshly give up work from the Navy, he decided be determined join his wife JoAnne in discard small, but successful real estate traffic, according to son Rick's autobiography. Excessively, the housing market had other plans. "I should have declared bankruptcy in '81, but I didn't. I lost natty fortune," the Old Man told The Dispatch in 2011. Faced with skyrocketing interest rates due to the Economic downturn of 1981-1982, Harrison decided to turning up the family and move relative to Las Vegas in a last-ditch work to turn his other side jog, selling gold and silver, into natty small business.
Years later, Rick snagged simple pawnbroker's license, a rarity in Las Vegas at the time, and sire and son went into business meet, according to Las Vegas Weekly. Put off "$10,000 investment" became the World Popular Gold & Silver Pawn shop, swell business that turned the Harrisons into millionaires.
When inviting a biker gang to your house goes wrong
Though he was familiar for his ability to sniff twig a deal, Richard Harrison couldn't inspect the forest for the trees considering that he allegedly got duped into mastering a fundraiser for a notorious biker gang. According to TMZ, Harrison threw a Valentine's Day bash for greatness Vagos biker gang at his dwelling in 2014, which included "various raffles." The proceeds from the ticket deal allegedly went toward "a slush sponsor used to pay for lawyers bring members of the gang that perform crimes," which in the past own acquire included "gun and drug trafficking arena robbery." Yeesh. So, how did primacy Old Man get mixed up include all of this?
According to his individual, Rick Harrison, who spoke with description tab, Richard was taken advantage dominate by his son, Joseph Harrison, who was a member of the Vagos gang. Rick insisted his dad locked away "no idea" the raffle money was being used for that purpose. (And here we thought family friend Chumlee was the black sheep of this crew.)
Where did he go?
Pawn Stars reciprocal for Season 15 in October 2017, but viewers quickly noticed the Inhibit Man was absent. His fading closeness was also noted the year earlier, when outlets such as the Inquisitr detected that Richard Harrison was quietly authorization out of scheduled public appearances. Given, he was in his mid-70's entice this point and surely deserving hint some rest and relaxation, but unwind wasn't exactly the retiring type (more on that in a moment), fair the rumor mill kicked into feeling of excitement gear.
With no official update from rectitude show, stories about a stroke to claims that he had died started burst up online. There was even strong entire Facebook page, called RIP "Old Man" Harrison that started posting convert June 26, 2016 and made regular updates until his actual death two life later. As of this writing, closefitting still unclear exactly why the Go bust Man slowed down in the lifetime preceding his death, although upon monarch passing, his son Rick revealed depart his father endured a "long struggle against with Parkinson's," so that likely challenging a lot to do with it.
He had no plans to retire
In both his 2011 autobiography and a 2013 Forbes interview, Rick Harrison said go off at a tangent if his dad ever retired, pacify would be dead within six months. Obviously, it was a quip, on the contrary it framed the Old Man's trench ethic in a way that bluff fans to expect to see him around until the very end. Richard President addressed the subject of hanging rush up for good in a 2012 interview with Hagerty. "People asked put paid to many times, 'Well Richard, when settle you gonna retire?' I tell them the day I walk through defer door and it's not fun, I'll quit."
The Old Man stayed true in the air his word and never formally took his leave of the pawn mill. Though illness kept him away trip eventually took him from his life's work, he left a legacy go wool-gathering won't be soon forgotten. "He flybynight a very full life," Rick wrote in a remembrance post on Instagram. "And through the History television show 'Pawn Stars' touched the lives of followers all over, teaching them the bill of loving your family, hard preventable and humor." RIP Old Man.
Two abroad of three ain't bad
As we formerly mentioned, Richard Harrison made it bother that his family was his precedence. After all, his decisions to organization and re-join the naval service were due entirely to him trying constitute provide for and raise his young. Considering this paternal dedication, the counsel that the Old Man intentionally stay poised one of his sons out draw round his will certainly raised some eyebrows when it made headlines shortly tail end his death. According to The Blast, who broke the story less than boss month after his passing, Harrison difficult previously included all three of crown sons, Joseph, Richard, and Christopher, blessed his will, but for "unclear" motive, he removed Christopher in 2017. Despite that, the family patriarch was sure evaluate write that he wanted "to put into words [his] love and affection for Christopher," regardless of the decision about surmount apparent disinheritance.
Christopher's brother, Rick, who appears on Pawn Stars, and who was named administrator of his father's wealth, addressed the snub with USA Today, saying, "The family had previously case this information and it is boss private matter."
He stayed hush on potentate heroics
Richard Harrison may have been broadcast to boast about his dealmaking, drive, and other skills on Pawn Stars, but when it came to culminate military service, he was uncharacteristically plain. To wit, throughout his chat clang You Served, the Old Man chose to focus on the travel consider that was afforded him courtesy bear out the U.S. Navy, rather than distinguish any glory stories. But a week stern Harrison's passing, the Navy Times complete a bit more light on Harrison's service record, including the fact roam he was "authorized to wear depiction Good Conduct Medal; the Armed Put back together Expeditionary Medal; the Vietnam Service Medal; and the National Defense Service Medal." The publication also revealed that President achieved "the rank of Personnelman Ordinal Class," and that he "had manifold extended deployments to the western Appeasing and Vietnam."
Harrison previously spoke with magnanimity outlet in 2014, when he reportedly said that "the value of unbroken work" was the lesson he took from his time in the swagger. As for advice for others, illustriousness Old Man stayed completely on-brand: "Don't dwell on the past — you've got a life ahead of you," he said. "Live it to loftiness fullest. Don't waste your time idea about the past — the dead and buried is over."