Made for Netflix, airing August 25th in the US.
Filming locations(s) unknown.
The story: As a young man, Bob Ross went into the Air Force and was living in Alaska.
He soon was married to his first wife Vicky and they quickly thereafter had their son Steve.
Both Bob and Vicky painted, but Bob had a great knack for it.
A lover of nature and a friend to injured wildlife, it all showed in his work.
When Bob saw TV painter Bill Alexander he was inspired. Bill could paint amazing landscapes in around 20 minutes' time.
When Bob retired from the Air Force he wanted to study with Bill to learn his quick dutiful techniques referred to "alla prima", so Bob sought him out.
Soon Bob was painting magical landscapes in a quick 26 minutes time and was hired to be a traveling art instructor.
While teaching, Bob met and befriended Annette Kowalski, who was a participant of his class and along with her retired CIA agent husband Walt, encouraged and helped Bob to venture out on his own and expand his talents.
That's when the TV painting show 'The Joy of Painting' came to be.
1983 seen down-to-earth Bob paint his masterpieces on PBS which was meant to help his art instruction seminars along, and it worked.
Bob brought along his son Steve as well as a fellow painter and friend Dana Jester to help teach at the seminars.
Bob was a popular, charming, charismatic, kind, patient soul and friend to many.
His happiness rubbed off on everyone he met.
In 1989, 'The Joy of Painting' was in its 18th season and Bob had become a hero.
Being in business with Annette and Walt now for years, they began a line of Bob Ross paints and supplies.
The only part Bob was interested in was the quality of the products. Money was never his first concern.
But it was the main concern for Annette and Walt.
When Bob's second wife Jane passed in 1992, Bob was devasted.
This also changed how the Kowalski's dealt with him. His opinions now no longer mattered to them.
A few weeks later, Bob learned he also had Cancer.
Thinking he wanted to do as much as possible with what little time he had, he dove right into his show, taping at the very least 3 episodes in one day.
The last episode of 'The Joy of Painting' aired in 1994.
Bob was becoming increasingly sicker and the Kowalski's didn't want anyone to know he was sick.
They financially benefited while Bob was alive and working.
So when Bob tried doing the childrens' painting show he had always wanted to do, the Kowalski's weren't happy.
Bob looked sick and they didn't want the world to see him like that. This was a direct threat to their livelihood.
Finally, on Bob's deathbed, the Kowalski's did all and everything they could think of to get him to sign his name over to them, but he would not.
Sadly, no matter what steps Bob took to secure his name while he was alive, the Kowalski's found a way to still own him after his passing.
Stars Steve Ross, Vicky Ross, John Thamm, Ian Bourland, Julia Friedman, Dana Jester, Sally Schenck, Gary Jenkins, Kathwren Jenkins, Doug Blandy, Andrea Baxter, Bert Effing, Lawrence Kapp
Directed by Joshua Rofe
Rated TV14
DOCUMENTARY/BIOGRAPHY/HISTORY
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