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The Arts Intel Report

A Cultural Compass
For the World Traveler
A Cultural Compass
For the World Traveler

Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal & Greed

Behind many smiles there are frowns. Especially if that smile belongs to Bob Ross, a sort of Mister Rogers for adults. His PBS series, The Joy of Painting, taught the art of the 30-minute treescape to millions of American amateurs from 1983 to 1994. A Netflix documentary exploring the battle for Ross’s business empire brings out the never-before-seen dark side of the smiley star. Executive produced by the husband-and-wife Hollywood pair Melissa McCarthy and Ben Falcone, the film also reveals that behind at least one afro there is a perm. —J.V.

Photo courtesy of Netflix.