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What Is Bob Ross’ Net Worth?
At the time of his passing in July 1995, Bob Ross, the iconic American painter, art instructor, and television host, had an estimated net worth of $1 million. This figure represents a snapshot of his financial standing at that particular moment and does not encompass the potentially substantial value of his name, image, and the extensive collection of his artwork. The rights to his name and likeness, in particular, have proven to be incredibly valuable in the years following his death, worth many millions of dollars. His estate has been a subject of considerable legal contention in recent years.
Bob Ross’ Career and Income Streams
Bob Ross achieved widespread recognition and popularity through his creation and hosting of “The Joy of Painting,” a television series that aired on PBS from 1983 to 1994. The show also reached audiences in Canada, Europe, and Latin America. During its peak, “The Joy of Painting” was broadcast on over 90% of American public television networks, attracting millions of viewers each week. While Bob Ross appeared on the show, essentially for free, he strategically used the platform to promote his books and painting kits. These ventures proved to be quite lucrative, with sales of books, video tapes, and art kits generating between $15 and $20 million during his lifetime.
In the 21st century, Bob Ross experienced a resurgence in popularity as an internet celebrity, particularly on YouTube. His wet-on-wet oil painting technique, characterized by its speed and simplicity, captivated a new generation of artists and art enthusiasts. He was also known for his catchphrases, such as “happy little trees,” which became synonymous with his positive and encouraging approach to art instruction. In 1989, he published the book “The Best of the Joy of Painting with Bob Ross,” which further contributed to his income streams.
After Ross’s death, his intellectual property has been managed by Bob Ross Inc., a holding company that has licensed his image for use on a wide range of merchandise, including t-shirts, Chia Pets, costumes, underwear, soap, puzzles, and coloring books. This diversification of his brand has generated substantial revenue for the company. Additionally, there is a thriving market for his original paintings, with some pieces fetching as much as $10,000. It’s important to note that Bob Ross Inc. also provides painting classes in different cities. According to their official website, there are over 1500 Bob Ross Teachers holding local workshops every day.
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Robert Norman Ross, known to the world as Bob Ross, was born on October 29, 1942, in Daytona Beach, Florida. His mother, Ollie, worked as a waitress, while his father, Jack, was a carpenter. Bob spent his formative years in Orlando, where he developed a fondness for animals and often cared for injured creatures. He also had a half-brother named Jim, whom he occasionally mentioned on “The Joy of Painting.” Ross’s formal education came to an end in the ninth grade when he left school to work alongside his father. During his time as a carpenter, he experienced an accident that resulted in the loss of a portion of the index finger on his left hand.
In 1961, Bob Ross enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, where he was assigned the role of medical records technician. He progressed through the ranks, eventually achieving the position of master sergeant. While stationed at Alaska’s Eielson Air Force Base, he served as the first sergeant of the clinic. During his time in the Air Force, he discovered enjoyment in painting. It was during his breaks that he honed the quick wet-on-wet painting technique that would later become his trademark. He left the Air Force in 1981, vowing never to raise his voice again, because he was the “guy who makes you scrub the latrine, the guy who makes you make your bed, the guy who screams at you for being late to work.”
While supplementing his income as a bartender, Ross stumbled upon the television show “The Magic of Oil Painting,” hosted by German painter Bill Alexander. This series introduced Bob to the wet-on-wet style, also known as alla prima, which enabled artists to create paintings in as little as 30 minutes. Ross quickly mastered this technique and began painting Alaskan landscapes on novelty gold-mining pans. His art soon surpassed his Air Force salary, which prompted him to move back to Florida where he studied with Alexander and became a tutor and traveling salesman for the Alexander Magic Art Supplies Company. Annette Kowalski, an attendee at one of Ross’ sessions, recognized his talent and convinced him to venture out on his own. Together with Ross’s wife, Jane, they pooled their resources to establish Bob Ross Inc.
Personal Life and Legacy
Bob Ross’s personal life was marked by three marriages. On May 28, 1965, he married Vivian Ridge, and they had a son named Steve before divorcing in 1977. Steve, who is also a Certified Ross Instructor, occasionally appeared on his father’s show. Ross’s second marriage was to Jane on April 22, 1977, and they remained together until her death from cancer in 1992. His third and final marriage was to Lynda Brown on April 7, 1995, just three months before his own passing. Bob had several pet squirrels, including Bobette, Peapod, and Peapod Jr., some of which made appearances on “The Joy of Painting.”
Bob Ross passed away on July 4, 1995, in Orlando, Florida, at the age of 52 due to complications from lymphoma. He was a smoker for much of his life. He was laid to rest next to his parents at Woodlawn Memorial Park, with a plaque that reads “Bob Ross, Television Artist.” The terms of incorporation for Bob Ross Inc. stipulated that upon the death of any partner, their stock would be equally distributed among the remaining partners. As a result of the deaths of Bob and his second wife, Jane, Annette and Walt Kowalski gained complete ownership of Bob Ross Inc. Before his death, the Kowalskis reportedly attempted to persuade Ross to relinquish the rights to his estate, but he declined and instead excluded them from his will, leaving his estate, including his “name, likeness, voice, and visual, written, or otherwise recorded work,” to his son Steve and his half-brother, Jimmie Cox.
The Kowalskis initiated legal action to acquire Bob’s “art, all finished paintings, work copies used in the development of Bob Ross’s finished paintings, and all paints, brushes, easels, canvases, and other supplies, materials, and tools used by Bob Ross.” They subsequently filed lawsuits seeking attorney fees, damages, lost profits, and other expenses. In 1997, the lawsuits were resolved in favor of the Kowalskis, and after their retirement in 2012, their daughter, Joan, assumed control of Bob Ross Inc. Bob Ross’s image has been parodied in films and TV shows like “Family Guy” and “Deadpool,” as well as the web series “Epic Rap Battles of History.” He was honored with a Google Doodle on what would have been his 70th birthday. The board game “Bob Ross: The Art of Chill” was also created in his honor.
In 2015, Twitch hosted a nine-day “The Joy of Painting” marathon that garnered 5.6 million viewers. In 2016, Netflix began streaming “Beauty Is Everywhere,” which featured episodes from seasons 20–22 of “The Joy of Painting.” The Kowalskis also launched a Bob Ross YouTube channel, which has amassed over 4.9 million subscribers as of this writing. In 2019, the Smithsonian National Museum of American History acquired several of Bob’s paintings, a stepladder he used on “The Joy of Painting,” and two notebooks he used during the show’s early years. In 2020, “Magic: The Gathering” released a set of cards entitled “Happy Little Gathering” that featured Ross’s paintings. In August 2021, the Netflix documentary “Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal & Greed” was released, prompting Bob Ross Inc. to issue a statement denouncing the documentary as “inaccurate and heavily slanted.”
