Highlights
- Bob Ross's business partners, the Kowalskis, took control of his legacy after his death, leading to legal disputes over rights to his name and intellectual property.
- Ross wanted his brother Jimmi Cox and son Steve Ross to inherit his rights.
- Steve Ross initiated legal action against Bob Ross Inc. to take control of his father's business empire.
Bob Ross gained fame as a beloved figure in the world of painting through his show on PBS, The Joy of Painting, which was a quiet yet impactful presence on television screens during the 1980s.
The show quickly garnered a strong following between 1983 and 1984. Tragically, Ross passed away in 1995, but the management of his legacy did not come to a halt. His business partners, Walt and Annette Kowalski, took on the responsibility of overseeing his legacy through the establishment of their company, Bob Ross Inc.
However, it's been reported that there were legal disputes between Ross and the Kowalskis towards the end of Ross' life. These disputes revolved around the rights to the Bob Ross name, his likeness, and his valuable intellectual property.
Bob Ross Wanted His Brother Jimmi Cox And Son Steve Ross To Inherit His Rights
The partnership between Bob Ross and the Kowalskis started when Walt and Annette Kowalski helped Ross launch his PBS program in 1983. The success of the show prompted Ross to establish Bob Ross Inc., a company that holds the rights to his name, image, and likeness. Ross was joined in this venture by his late wife Jane, along with the Kowalskis.
In 1992, Ross' wife passed away. Per the company's contract, the shares of a deceased partner were to be equally divided among the surviving partners. Despite being the prominent public face of the Bob Ross enterprise, this arrangement led Ross to end up with only a one-third stake in the company.
Following his wife's passing, Ross' health also declined. Amidst his low prognosis, the Kowalskis approached Ross in 1994 with a proposal that would grant them all commercial rights to Ross' name, image, voice, creative works, and biographical materials. In exchange, the Kowalskis committed to paying Ross or his heirs 10% of Bob Ross Inc.'s profits over the next decade.
Ross vehemently disagreed with this proposition and refrained from signing. Instead, he took steps to reshape his estate plan, aiming to retain ownership of the intellectual rights to everything associated with Bob Ross within his own family.
This resulted in the establishment of the Bob Ross Trust in 1994, where 51% of an intellectual property interest was assigned to his half-brother, Jimmie Cox, and the remaining 49% to his son, Steve Ross. At the time of his passing in 1995, Ross was estimated to possess a net worth of approximately $10 million.
Steve Ross And Jimmi Cox Lost In The Inheritance Battle For Bob Ross' Assets Against The Kowalskis
Netflix's documentary on Bob Ross' life titled, Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal, and Greed, sheds light on the intricate dynamics surrounding Ross' artistic legacy and how his business associates, Annette and Walt Kowalski, capitalized on his talents and reputation by assuming control over his name, image, and likeness.
The artist's son, Steve Ross, recalled how the Kowalskis allegedly diminished his father's legacy. According to Bob Ross' final will, he bequeathed his estate and the rights to his name, likeness, and creative property to his son and his half-brother, Jimmi Cox. However, the Kowalskis disputed this, contending that they possessed ownership rights based on their business contract. Ultimately, they prevailed in a legal dispute against Ross and Cox.
Alongside their quest for intellectual rights, the Kowalskis also sought possession of all of Ross' completed artworks. In a statement to Vanity Fair, Steve Ross expressed, "What was done to my father and family wasn’t right." The company was valued at $10 million upon Ross's passing in 1995 and has reportedly increased substantially since then. In 2012, the Kowalskis retired, transferring ownership of Bob Ross Inc. to their daughter, Joan Kowalski.
With financial constraints making a prolonged legal confrontation unviable, Jimmi Cox, settled with the Kowalskis, officially absolving each party from any past claims, liabilities, and disputes. More than twenty years after the lawsuit's resolution, Steve Ross discovered a clause within his father's trust that assigned him all rights to his father's name, image, and public identity. By this time, the Bob Ross brand had grown even more substantial and lucrative. Reruns of his show continued to air, and platforms such as Twitch and Netflix began streaming The Joy of Painting.
Steve Ross initiated legal action against Bob Ross Inc., asserting that numerous business deals and products employing his father's likeness were without proper authorization. He sought rightful compensation. Regrettably for Ross, the federal court did not concur.
In 2019, the court's decision maintained that the rights couldn't have been given to Ross through the trust, as the trust did not originally possess these rights. The ruling clarified, "Plaintiff would not own the intellectual property at issue because the Trust never owned it. Similarly, because Bob Ross gave BRI his right to publicity during his lifetime, it could not have transferred to his son on his death."
In essence, Steve's claims were invalidated, and he did not receive any share of the expansive business empire established upon his father's persona and artistic techniques.
What Happened To Bob Ross' Estate?
Since the release of the Bob Ross documentary which fans want to boycott, Bob Ross Inc. has publicly contested the allegations made within it. The documentary brings to light the evolution of the company under Joan Kowalski's leadership. This shift has led the company to explore realms beyond Bob Ross' artistic domain.
The company's website now offers a diverse array of services and products, encompassing Bob Ross memorabilia, merchandise, art supplies, books, DVDs, and even painting classes conducted by Bob Ross Certified Instructors around the world. Television networks continue to broadcast episodes of The Joy of Painting, and Bob Ross products are readily available at art supply stores throughout the United States and Canada.
Joan Kowalski and Steve Ross reached an agreement wherein Ross relinquished his rights to his father's name and likeness in exchange for the privilege of using his name on various products. This accord paved the way for his return as an art instructor. This opportunity allowed Ross to oversee his father's estate once again, as he was warmly welcomed back into the artistic community. While the Kowalskis ultimately gained control over the assets, their involvement prevented the fading of Ross's name into obscurity.
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