(Undated) — Michael Jackson isn’t just the top-earning dead celebrity on “Forbes” magazine’s annual list, he has also outearned other living stars over the past year. Boasting posthumous earnings of 275-million dollars in the year since his death, Jackson’s estate pulled in more than the combined total of the other 12 celebrities on “Forbes'” deceased celebrity list through his stake in the Sony/ATV music catalog, the success of the movie “This Is It,” and merchandise sales. He even earned more than top-selling music stars such as Lady Gaga, Madonna and Jay-Z combined, according to “Forbes.” Trailing the King of Pop in second place on the deceased celebrity earnings list is the King of Rock n’ Roll, Elvis Presley, who ranks number two with earnings of 60-million dollars over the past year.
Presley’s estate benefited from Graceland admissions as well as the “Viva Elvis” Cirque du Soleil show in Las Vegas and licensing and merchandising deals. “Lord of the Rings” author J.R.R. Tolkien is at number three on the list with earnings of 50-million dollars. “Peanuts” creator Charles Schulz ranks fourth with 33-million-dollars in posthumous earnings, and former Beatle John Lennon was listed at number five with an income of 17-million-dollars.
Forbes’ 2010 Top-Earning Dead Celebrities:
1. Musician Michael Jackson, 275-million
2. Musician Elvis Presley, 60-million
3. Author J.R.R. Tolkien, 50-million
4. Cartoonist Charles Schulz, 33-million
5. Musician John Lennon, 17-million
6. Author Stieg Larsson, 15-million
7. Author Dr. Seuss (Theodor Geisel), 11-million
8. Scientist Albert Einstein, 10-million
9. Sports franchise owner George Steinbrenner, 8-million
10. Songwriter Richard Rogers, 7-million
11 & 12. (tie) Musician Jimi Hendrix, 6-million; Actor Steve McQueen, 6-million
13. Television producer Aaron Spelling, 5-million
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Suzanne Wilson/Heather Larson
Copyright © 2010
Metro Networks Communications Inc., A Westwood One Company
10-27-2010 00:11:34
