Bob Ross Net Worth, Death, Son, Biography, Age, Wife

Bob Ross Net Worth

Bob Ross, an American painter whose full name is Robert Norman Ross has an estimated net worth of $2 million.

Bob Ross Biography

Robert Norman Ross, an American artist, teacher, and television personality, is best known as the host and creator of the popular instructional TV series, The Joy of Painting. The show aired on PBS in the United States, CBC in Canada, and other channels in Europe, Latin America, and other regions from 1983 to 1994.

Ross became a household name for his unique approach to teaching painting techniques and his calming demeanour on the show. Since his death in 1995, he has gained a significant following on the internet, further cementing his legacy as a beloved figure in the art world.

How old is Robert Norman Ross?

Bob Ross was born on the 29th of October 1942 and passed away at the age of 52 in 1995. He grew up in a prosperous family in Florida, United States.

Robert Norman Ross Wife and Children

Bob Ross was married three times and had two children. He had a son named Robert Stephen Steve Ross with his first wife, Vivian Ridge. Steve was also a talented painter and appeared on The Joy of Painting, becoming a Ross-certified instructor. In the last episode of Season 1, Steve read a series of general how-to questions sent in by viewers while Bob answered them one at a time, technique by technique, until he had completed an entire painting.

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Bob's marriage with Vivian ended in divorce in 1977 due to his alleged infidelity. He then married Jane, but they had no children together. Sadly, Jane died of cancer in 1992. Two months before his death in 1995, Bob married Lynda Brown.

Bob Ross was a very private person and kept his personal life to himself. Interviews with his close-knit circle of friends and family can be found in the 2011 PBS documentary Bob Ross: The Happy Painter. However, other conversations were destroyed as part of a legal settlement between Ross' family and Bob Ross Inc. continues to protect his intellectual property and his privacy to this day.

Although Bob was not a member of any specific organized religion, he frequently expressed his belief in a creator god and often closed his shows with a wish that God bless his viewers.

How did Bob Ross die?

Ross, a heavy smoker throughout his adult life, faced numerous health problems and assumed he would die young. On July 4, 1995, at the age of 52, Ross passed away in Orlando, Florida, due to complications from lymphoma. He kept his diagnosis a secret from the public and only shared it with family and close friends.

Ross's remains were laid to rest at Woodlawn Memorial Park in Gotha, Florida, where a plaque inscribed with Bob Ross; Television Artist marks his interment. Following Ross's death, his partners in Bob Ross Inc., his second wife and the Kowalskis, inherited his stock in the company under its incorporation terms. However, the Kowalskis focused solely on using Ross's name for painting supplies and became aggressive towards Ross's family and associates. They attempted to coerce Ross into signing over the rights to his estate before his passing, but he chose to leave his estate and rights to his son Steve and half-brother Jimmie Cox instead.

The Kowalskis argued that Ross's work was a work for hire, meaning he had no right to bequeath it, and initiated a lawsuit against Steve and Jimmie. After the Kowalskis retired and Joan Kowalski took over the company, she was more receptive to expanding the Ross brand beyond painting products. She settled with Steve and Jimmie, granting Bob Ross Inc. the rights to Ross's name and likeness.

In exchange, Steve was able to resume his art career without fear of litigation, which he claimed had prevented him from painting in public after his father's passing. The merchandising of the Bob Ross brand has since exploded in popularity.

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