‘Happy Little Accidents’ Painter Bob Ross, Who Died From Lymphoma At 52 Has Legacy Carried on By His Son, Also a Painter

The iconic artist, known for his picturesque landscapes, also won the hearts of fans for occasionally offering life advice on his show. His inspiration commentary led him to be nicknamed “The King of Chill,” and his show is still watched by many as his calm and creative demeanor continues to be admired. His signature hair and eccentric clothing also made him hard to forget. In fact, many still have fun dressing up as the painter for Halloween.

Years ago, a documentary released on Netflix, dubbed “Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal & Greed,” revealed controversy had plagued Ross’ life toward the latter part of his career.

When his show rose to fame, Ross faced a battle with lymphoma, something he chose to keep secret and not tell the public, and to this day, it remains unclear when he received his diagnosis, what type of lymphoma he had, and whether he underwent treatment.

Jessica Jenkins, the curator of the “Bob Ross Experience” at Muncie, Indiana’s Minnetrista museum previously told CBS Sunday Morning, “His message is timeless. The message of having self-confidence, of trying new things that doesn’t get old.

“And because of that, I think that it just continues to resonate for generation after generation. Even though Bob’s not here, he’s still been able to put that idea in someone’s head.”

A Grieving Son

Bob Ross is also a father to Steve Ross, who was born on August 1, 1966 and also is very skilled in painting.

Steve had to grieve with not only the loss of his dad to cancer in 1995, but also his mom, who passed away from cancer as well, just three years prior. He previously told the Daily Beast that he went into depression following his dad’s death, but he later learned to cope through his love for art.

On Steve’s website, he writes in his About Me section, “You may remember me, Steve Ross, from painting with my father, Bob Ross, on his tv show. He was an amazing man who taught me a lot about life and gave me many opportunities.

“During the 80s and 90s, I traveled around the country offering painting workshops in large cities and small towns. I miss getting to meet and work with people who are interested in painting; so, I have decided to start doing that again.”

Controversy Surrounding Bob Ross’ Cancer Death

The film “Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal & Greed,” which is mostly narrated by interviews with his son Steve Ross, explains that after “The Joy of Painting” ended in 1994, Bob Ross tried to pursue a children’s show something he had always wanted to do. He was even the guest star in the pilot episode of “The Adventures of Elmer & Friends.”

His father wanted to bring the art world to a younger audience, Steve said. He was even talking about working on a book for children, but that’s when Bob Ross became “really ill.” He was wearing a wig and weighed less than 100 pounds, his son said.

“The Kowalskis got angry that Bob looked sick,” Steve said. “He insisted he would be able to do the show, but Walt and Annette were totally against it.”

Annette and Walt Kowalski were Bob Ross’ long-time business partners during his rise to stardom through The Joy of Painting, and they co-founded Bob Ross Inc. The Kowalskis have also been involved in legal battles related to Bob Ross’ estate and his family over the right to his name and image.

“They both thought of Bob as something that they had packaged, and that they had made from the beginning,” Steve said of the Kowalskis. “They didn’t want people to know he was sick.”

Steve said that when his father was nearing the end of his life because of cancer, they had gone to the Kowalskis’ home; he went into the back bedroom with his father where he laid him down on the bed to rest.

“Annette started talking to me while the door was closed so Bob couldn’t hear,” Steve said, “and she said, ‘You need to go in there and get Bob to sign this.'”

The document she handed Steve was a contract for a memorial that the Kowalskis sought to build in Bob Ross’ name.

“It looked to me like they were trying to get Bob to sign his name over to them,” Steve said. The proposed contract read in part, according to the documentary, “Bob’s name and likeness have been registered to BRI and such trademarks are wholly owned assets of BRI.”

“I refused, and Annette became very angry,” Steve said. “He didn’t want to sign away the full rights to his name, but it didn’t stop them.”

In the weeks leading up to Bob Ross’ death, the Kowalskis became “more desperate,” Steve explained, adding, “They were having big arguments over who’s going to possess his name after he died.” Bob attempted to sign his name over to his brother Jimmie Cox, and Steve, in his will.

But soon afterRoss passed, Bob Ross Inc. filed a lawsuit against the painter’s third wife, Lynda, who he married two months before he died, and Cox. Cox, without Steve Ross’ knowledge, ended up settling the suit in 1997 by signing over all the rights of the Bob Ross name to BRI.

However, Ross’ will stated that Cox and Steve Ross held almost all of the rights to Bob Ross’ name and publicity. This wasn’t discovered until 2018 when Steve Ross filed a lawsuit against BRI; it was null and void by the time Steve Ross found out because of the 1997 settlement agreement.

“My own uncle had signed over those rights to them totally against my father’s wishes,” Steve Ross said in the documentary.

In June 2019, Steve lost his legal battle with BRI due to money issues; an appeal would’ve cost about $90,000. BRI retained all the rights to the Bob Ross name and likeness, and Bob Ross Inc. still operates today in the suburbs of Washington, D.C.

“The Kowalskis made millions of dollars from, I would say, exploiting his (Bob Ross’) name and image,” Steve Ross said. “But he brought so much happiness to people, and that’s what’s important.”

Understanding Lymphoma

Lymphoma is a type of cancer that starts in cells that are part of the body’s immune system, according to the American Cancer Society. The cancer begins when lymphocytes a type of white blood cell in the immune system of jawed vertebrates develop a genetic mutation that causes them to multiply faster than normal.

The cell mutation also causes older cells that would typically die to instead stay alive. The quickly multiplying lymphocytes start to collect and build up in your lymph nodes the small glands in your neck, armpits and other parts of your body.

Lymphoma comes in several different types, and knowing which one you have is important as you start thinking about treatment.

When comparing lymphoma to other types of cancers, one of the main differences is that it comes in two categories Hodgkin Lymphoma and non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.

The main difference between the two is that Hodgkin lymphoma has distinctive, giant cells called Reed-Sternberg cells, according to previous SurvivorNet reporting. The presence of these cells can help doctors determine which of the two lymphoma types their patient may have. In other words, if the cells aren’t present, then that points to non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is more common than its counterpart, and people are more likely to be diagnosed with it after they reach the age of 55. The disease is more likely to spread in a random fashion, and can be found in different groups of lymph nodes in the body.

It remains unclear what type of lymphoma Bob Ross battled.

What are the Symptoms & Risks of Lymphoma?

Until an effective screening test becomes available, you can increase your odds of finding lymphoma early by knowing whether you’re at risk, and staying alert for symptoms.

In a previous interview with SurvivorNet, Dr. Elise Chong, a medical oncologist at Penn Medicine, explained that Hodgkin lymphoma is most often seen in younger adults, and although less common, it is generally easier to cure than non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

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“The patients who are diagnosed with lymphoma early, typically it’s luck,” Dr. Chong says. They may have had a symptom that made their doctor check them, or the cancer showed up on a scan or blood test that was done for another reason.

You might be at higher risk for this cancer if you:

• Have been infected with the HIV or Epstein-Barr virus
• Had an organ transplant
• Have a family history of lymphoma
• Have been treated with radiation or chemotherapy drugs for cancer in the past
• Have an autoimmune disease

Let your doctor know about these risks, so he or she can keep a close eye on you. You may need more frequent checkups and tests.

Also watch out for lymphoma symptoms. The most common ones are:

• Swollen glands in your neck, armpit, or groin
• Fever
• Chills
• Night sweats
• Weight loss without trying
• Feeling tired

Many different conditions, including infections, cause these same symptoms. So don’t panic if you have them. It’s most likely something more benign, but still worth getting checked out.

It’s also a good idea to see your doctor for any other unusual symptoms, even if they’re not on this list. Remember, always seek out multiple opinions and don’t stop until you get an answer.

Questions for Your Doctor

If you are facing a lymphoma diagnosis, here are some questions you can ask your doctor to begin your journey to a successful outcome.

• What type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma do I have? What stage of my lymphoma is in, and if it has spread, how far?
• Do we need to treat the lymphoma immediately?
• What treatment do you recommend to help me beat this diagnosis?
• Should I get more opinions about the treatment options available?
• What are some possible side effects I should expect during treatment?
• Will insurance cover the recommended treatment?

Coping With Grief

Grief is known to “come in waves” and never fully leave you after a loved one has died. To grieve is to have fully loved someone, and that’s a beautiful thing, but the process of grief, can be fulling of missing, longing, and sadness.

Dealing With Grief After a Cancer Diagnosis

Coping with grief after the loss of a loved one, or after a diagnosis of a disease like cancer, can be helped by seeing a psychiatrist, counselor, or oncological social worker.

You don’t have to suffer through your grief alone. Seek outside support when you’ve lost someone close to you.

How I Made It Through Cancer Painting & Dreaming

Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

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