Austin Lee Russell, who goes by the stage name Chumlee is an American entrepreneur and reality television star. He is best remembered for his performances on the History Channel program Pawn Stars, which features the day-to-day operations of the Gold and Silver Pawn Shop in Las Vegas, where he continues to work
‘PAWN STARS’ OVERVIEW:
Pawn Stars is a US reality television program that is produced by Leftfield Pictures and is broadcast on History. The World Famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop is a 24-hour family business that was founded in 1989 and was initially run by chieftain Richard “Old Man” Harrison, his son Rick Harrison, Rick’s son Corey “Big Hoss” Harrison, and Corey’s childhood friend Austin “Chumlee” Russell.
The series is aired in Las Vegas, Nevada, and follows the everyday activities at the World Famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop.
The program, which rose to become the network’s highest-rated program and premiered on July 26, 2009, trailing only Jersey Shore in popularity.
CHUMLEE’S EARLY YEARS:
On September 8, 1982, Russell was born in Henderson, Nevada. He was given the nickname “Chumlee” when he was around 12 years old because of his broad face and chin, which led the parent of one of his buddies to comment that he resembled Chumley, the walrus from the animated cartoon character Tennessee Tuxedo. He grew close to Corey Harrison as nothing more than a child. Rick Harrison, Corey’s father, and Richard Harrison, his grandfather, founded the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop in 1989.
CHUMLEE’S LIFE IN GENERAL:
Chumlee adores collecting shoes and has over 200 pairs in his collection. He also spends a lot of time playing the Pokémon Trading Card Game, skateboarding, and computer games.
Rap and punk rock are his favorite musical genres. Boardwalk Empire, Sons of Anarchy, and Breaking Bad are three TV shows he enjoys watching. He likes to drive his 1986 Buick Regal, which he has modified with hydraulic lifts on both the front and back.
A Rolls-Royce Phantom, a Maserati GranTurismo, a Cadillac Escalade, a Range Rover, and a 1964 Impala SS were among the vehicles he owned as of 2013.
CHUMLEE’S CAREER:
At 21, Chumlee began work at the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop. Before the first season of the reality television series Pawn Stars began filming in July 2009, he had been employed there for five years.
He is responsible for performing behind-the-counter tasks at the store, such as loading, testing, and issuing tickets for consumer purchases.
He is portrayed in the series as the comic foil, frequently the target of jokes from the other characters due to his perceived stupidity and incompetence, for which he has been dubbed a “village idiot.” To Corey’s surprise, Chumlee uses his understanding of pinball machines in the second-season episode “Pinball Wizards” to support his assertion that he is misinterpreted.
Chumlee became a standout cast member and a show’s favorite. Thanks to the program’s effectiveness, he established his own business that sells whimsical goods through his conception and planned his television statements. For the store to effectively manage orders of his interests, he sold Rick Harrison half of his business ownership in 2010 for $155,000. Due to his celebrity status, Chumlee’s goods purchases have eclipsed those of other program stars.
On the American television program iCarly, Chumlee made an appearance about himself in the episode “iLost My Head in Vegas” alongside Rick and Corey Harrison.
In Las Vegas, Chumlee established Chumlee’s Candy on the Boulevard in May 2017, in the opposite direction from the Gold and Silver Pawn Shop.