Pawn Stars

About Pawn Stars

Pawn Stars is an American reality television series that premiered on History on July 19, 2009. The show is set in Las Vegas, at the World Famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop, a family-run pawnshop operated by three generations of the Harrison family. The series explores the day-to-day operations at the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop, with episodes usually focusing on Rick's interactions with customers who bring in a variety of artifacts to sell or pawn, and his efforts to verify their authenticity and determine their worth.

Making / Production

The show is produced by Leftfield Pictures, a production company located in New York that specializes in reality television. The show has boosted the reputation and foot traffic of the store, reaching a peak of about 5,000 visitors per day in 2010. It's shot on location with the stars of the show being the staff of the pawn shop themselves. It has a clear format of showing the customer bringing their item, the shop staff's assessment and negotiation, and then the final outcome of the transaction.

Actors

• Rick Harrison, the co-owner of the pawn shop who appraises the items brought in, is known for his astute valuation skills and expertise in historical memorabilia.
• Richard "Old Man" Harrison, the patriarch of the family and co-founder of the shop, was beloved for his curmudgeonly demeanor.
• Corey "Big Hoss" Harrison, son of Rick and grandson of the "Old Man," is learning the business and is often seen negotiating deals.
• Austin "Chumlee" Russell, a childhood friend of Corey and employee at the shop, provides comic relief with his lack of knowledge about historical items.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The show was DJ's (Danny Koker) first introduction to Reality TV, which sprung his own show, "Counting Cars".
• The ninety-year-old building where the Gold and Silver Pawn Shop is located was originally a barber shop.
• Rick Harrison's catchphrase, "I'm Rick Harrison, and this is my pawn shop", became a popular internet meme.

Awards

Last 2012, the series was nominated for a Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Reality Show.

Quotes

• "Everything has a price – and I'm gonna find out what it is." - Rick Harrison
• "You never know what's gonna walk through that door." - Richard "Old Man" Harrison
• "I don't care what time it is, I don't wear a watch. " - Corey "Big Hoss" Harrison
• "That's the thing about old stuff - you have to wonder who's used it before." - Chumlee Russell

Music, Soundtrack

• The theme song for Pawn Stars is "Winning Isn't Everything" by Lynyrd Skynyrd.