Bob Ross spent his last days ‘fighting final agony’ to keep his legacy alive
Artist Bob Ross died as a pop culture icon nearly 30 years ago, but the painter was said to have been fighting for his legacy until the end. October 29, 2023 marks what would have been Bob Ross’s 81st birthday. The late celebrity artist died of lymphoma on July 4, 1995. He reportedly had two […]
Artist Bob Ross died as a pop culture icon nearly 30 years ago, but the painter was said to have been fighting for his legacy until the end.
October 29, 2023 marks what would have been Bob Ross’s 81st birthday. The late celebrity artist died of lymphoma on July 4, 1995. He reportedly had two children although his son, Steve Ross, is most publicly known. He was named as his father’s successor but Steve claims that Bob’s business partners betrayed his father’s intended legacy as they exercised control after his death.
Bob Ross’s son lost lawsuit for company ownership
Bob Ross’s likeness continues to be plastered on merchandise, videos, and even a scene in Marvel’s Deadpool, thanks to the work of Bob Ross Inc (BRI) – the company behind the painter’s brand.
However, Steve Ross claims his father’s name and image have been exploited against his wishes by Annette and Walt Kowalski, the couple who propelled him to fame in the 1980s. BRI was founded as an equal partnership between the Kowalskis, and Bob and his second wife, Jane. Upon Jane’s death, her shares were distributed among the parties equally, meaning Ross was a minority shareholder.
In his final few months, the painter reportedly altered his will to specify that his “name, likeness, voice, and visual, written, or otherwise recorded work” would go to his son and his half-brother Jimmie Cox.
Steve recalled to Daily Beast about a 1995 phone call that stuck with him. “Annette called me two days after my dad died, and she said, ‘I want you to listen to me carefully… Any Bob Ross art products, anything related to art or painting… you can never ever make those, distribute those, create a business around those—nothing’,” he said.
“‘But if you would like you can do anything not painting- or art-related that you want. You can do Bob Ross pickles, Bob Ross shoes, Bob Ross whatever. But you cannot put the Ross name on a painting- or art-related product, period – ever – for the rest of your life’,” Ross added.
20 years after Bob’s passing, Steve filed a lawsuit to reassert control of BRI. According to The Blast, he claimed he owned 100 per cent of the rights to his father’s name. Steve lost the case and an undisclosed settlement between the parties ended the appeal.
The 2021 Netflix documentary titled Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal & Greed detailed the legal battle over Ross’s legacy, featuring interviews with Steve. But accounts by BRI representatives weren’t provided.
Bob Ross Inc responded to Netflix’s ‘inaccurate portrayal’ of their company
BRI posted a public statement the same day the documentary was released. The multi-million dollar brand called the film “inaccurate and heavily slanted,” before asserting that Netflix contacted them with “lack of transparency.”
“The final narrative lacks considerable nuance and accuracy and carries a clear bias in favor of those who were interviewed,” they wrote.
Bob Ross Inc claims they reached out to filmmakers three months before release but no communication was returned except through an attorney. BRI said their comprehensive statement was excluded from the final cut.
The statement continued: “Many of these baseless accusations attempt to relitigate claims brought against Bob Ross Inc in 2017 by RSR Art LLC, a company owned by Steve Ross, Dana Jester and Lawrence Kapp, all of whom appear in the film.”
RSR Art LLC’s claims were rejected by a judge in 2019.
BRI has been led by Annette and Walt’s daughter, Joan Kowalski, since 2012.