[9][10] When Harrison was one year old, his family moved to Lexington, North Carolina, where they lived at 115 Peacock Avenue, just off South Main Street.

Harrison left the Navy in February 1962, but re-enlisted fourteen months later in order to obtain the health care benefits necessary to meet Sherry's medical expenses.

[2] Harrison ultimately served in the U.S. Navy for 20 years,[1][2][13] including stints as a paymaster, and attaining the rank of petty officer first class.

He continued to serve in the Navy, while Joanne obtained her real estate license in 1970 and opened her own office in 1973.

Declining real estate sales caused by interest rates as high as 18 percent cost Harrison $1,000,000 and the collapse of this business in 1981.

[22] Even when absent from the show, according to an episode of Pawn Stars, Harrison usually was the first to arrive at the shop in the morning,[23] and by 2010, had not had a sick day since 1994.

[24] By 2006, the shop had developed a reputation for carrying special sports items with unique histories,[25] including a 2001 New England Patriots Super Bowl ring that belonged to American football cornerback Brock Williams.

[33] In March 2010, Harrison, his son, grandson and Austin "Chumlee" Russell were awarded the key to the city of Las Vegas by Mayor Oscar Goodman.

[40] On December 5, 2011, Harrison made a special appearance at the American Country Awards 2011, giving a speech on stage.

[41] On February 25, 2012, he was a guest star at a Celebrity Bingo Bow Wow charity event, which was held at the Silverton Casino Lodge.

[42] In May 2012, Daniel Callahan filed a lawsuit in the District Court in Las Vegas claiming that Harrison and his son Rick failed to provide "reasonable and necessary" security at their store, seeking around $20,000 for injuries he allegedly suffered from being "dragged out of the pawn shop and tossed onto the sidewalk" after an argument over a rifle he had brought.

"[43] In October 2012, A&E Network and the History Channel, along with Harrison and the rest of the show's cast, were sued in Clark County District Court in Las Vegas for interference with business practices by Wayne F. Jefferies,[44] a Las Vegas promoter[45] and the Harrisons' manager, who represented them and "Chumlee" Russell in their television business dealings.

[64][65] Two days after his death, Pawn Stars aired a commemorative episode, "A Treasure Remembered", featuring clips from the show and interviews about him.