Courtesy of Netflix.
From left to right are Steve Ross, Bob Ross and Dana Jester.
Steve Ross was the only son of Bob Ross who followed in his father’s footsteps to become a painter. Bob Ross named Steven Ross as heir to his intellectual property, but his son was embroiled in legal battles for rights.
The Battle for Bob Ross Inc. it was largely unknown in the public sphere until Steve Ross filed a federal lawsuit in 2018, which made public a number of other lawsuits. Those involved claims made by Annette and Walt Kowalski, who were two of the four partners in the Bob Ross brand Inc. The fourth partner was Bob Ross’ second wife, Jane Ross, who died in 1992.
Steve Ross, whose full name is Robert Steven Ross, had a prominent role in a new Netflix documentary that delved into the demands that the Bob Ross brand claims. The documentary, Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal and Greed, was released on Netflix on Wednesday, August 25, 2021.
Here’s what you need to know:
Steve Ross fell into a deep depression after his father’s death, and eventually lost his father’s intellectual property rights.
After Bob Ross’ death, Steve Ross fell into a deep depression, stopped painting and witnessed suicide, according to the Daily Beast. Steve Ross was a professional painter and initially tried to keep his research going until the end of the month, according to the article. But he abandoned him completely and lived as a “hermit” for 15 years, the article continues.
Shortly before Bob Ross’ death, the kind painter known for his “happy trees” was presented with legal documents asking him to hand over the business, Bob Ross Inc., to Annette and Walt Kowalski, Beast reported. . Ross, who suffered from lymphoma, turned down the request. Instead, he made a number of changes to his will and said his name, likeness and intellectual property belong to Steve Ross and one of his half-brothers, the article says.
However, a judge ruled that Steve Ross did not have the rights because, at the time the will was amended, the intellectual property in question belonged to Bob Ross Inc., the Daily Beast reported.
“In the end, they got the best deal possible given the circumstances,” the article said. “In exchange for a modest payment, Steve waived his claims to Bob’s intellectual property. Most importantly for him, perhaps, Bob Ross, Inc., gave him permission to proceed with the your business with your name and the right, under the confidentiality agreements, to show certain terms of the agreement to potential business partners who may be afraid of a lawsuit from Bob Ross, Inc. “
Steve Ross teaches painting class with his partner Dana Jester and shares the joy of painting
Although Bob Ross ’legacy was full of legal battles, his talent and character linger through his son, who teaches painting workshops with his business partner, Dana Jester.
The Sterling Journal-Advocate noted that Steve Ross earns “almost nothing” through television and, like his father, earned his income through workshops and selling his art. The article, written about a workshop that Jester and Ross conducted in Sterling, Colorado, showed Ross with a kind and encouraging attitude very similar to that of his father.
“Anyone can do this, if you just follow it,” Ross said, pointing to a seascape completed by a student. “This guy had never painted before. That was his first effort.”
The Daily Beast reported that Steve Ross ’first workshop gave him new life when he realized he was giving the joy of painting to others.
“I didn’t realize people were missing me or wanting me to do this again,” he told the Daily Beast. “I always knew that, but what I mean is that maybe I didn’t want to know. Maybe I reserved the right to remain ignorant.”
This is the original version of Heavy.com
READ MORE: Jane Ross, wife of Bob Ross: 5 important facts you need to know