Transcript

An American businessman and reality star, Austin Lee Russell, is best known for his appearance in the History TV series, Pawn Stars.

He was nicknamed “Chumlee” due to his resemblance with Chumley, a walrus from the animated cartoon, Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales.

Born on September 8, 1982, in Henderson, Nevada, he started working at World Famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop operated by Harrison family at 21.

The shop is the subject of the reality show, Pawn Stars, which debuted in 2009. He has been an integral part of the show.

Following the show’s success, he opened his own shop comprising t-shirts of his design.

However, in 2010, he sold off half the company stake to Rick Harrison for $155,000

In May 2017, Chumlee opened a candy shop, Chumlee’s Candy on the Boulevard, close to the pawn shop in Las Vegas.

Besides Pawn Stars, Counting Cars, American Restoration and Pawnography, he is known for his directorial work in ‘Driven: The Story of Tanner Godfrey.’

He also made a guest appearance in an episode of the teen sitcom, iCarly in 2013.

Fun Fact: He is obsessed with collecting shoes and has more than 200 pairs in his closet.

Chumlee has been dating Lebanese American chef, Tanya Hyjazi, since 2013. She works for Stack Restaurant and Bar in Las Vegas

As of 2018, he is worth approximately $5 million. He earns an estimated salary of $25 thousand per episode from ‘Pawn Stars.’