In the 1980s and 1990s, Ross was a fixture on PBS. The Joy of Painting invited viewers to watch over Ross' shoulder as he created small masterpieces in under 30 minutes.

After Bob Ross left the Air Force, he was struggling to make it as a full-time artist. Tight on cash, he got a perm, figuring he'd no longer need to pay for frequent haircuts.

Ross filmed more than 400 episodes of The Joy of Painting. He actually painted three different versions of each work for every show — but viewers only saw the one on screen.

"He was wonderful. He was really wonderful," says Ross' longtime business partner Annette Kowalski. "I want Bob back."