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Michael Jackson leads list of top earning dead celebrities

China.org.cn, October 28, 2015

• Forbes released its annual list of the Top-Earning Dead Celebrities before Halloween with Michael Jackson on top, as the late King of Pop earned US$115 million over the past year.

  Michael Jackson [File photo]

  
  
  

  Jackson, who died unexpectedly in 2009, again leads the list of the 13 Top-Earning Dead Celebrities, taking in US$115 million. Most of the earnings came from his Las Vegas Cirque du Soleil residency theme show "Michael Jackson One," his Mijac Music catalogue, recorded music sales and profits from his half ownership of the Sony/ATV publishing empire.

  Elvis Presley came second on the list, earning US$55 million from Graceland ticket sales, a compilation album "Elvis Presley Forever" along with a commemorative stamp released by the U.S. Postal Service.

  Peanuts creator Charles Schulz ranked third with US$40 million, mostly from licensing revenues from the popular comic strip. Charlie Brown, Snoopy and their friends in the comics will also hit the big screen in 3D, "The Peanuts Movie," in November 2015.

  Bob Marley earned US$21 million and movie legend Elizabeth Taylor earned US$20 million, coming at number 4 and 5 on list.

  Other notables included actor Paul Walker, who banked US$10.5 million on the success of his action film "Furious 7" which grossed US$1.5 billion at the worldwide box office. Albert Einstein earned US$11 million, thanks to branded merchandise including apparel, posters and tablets designed by Israeli tech company Fourier Systems.

  Forbes only included 13 names on this top list, the rest are Marilyn Monroe, John Lennon, Bettie Page, Theodor Geisel, Steve McQueen, and James Dean. However, the magazine said there are plenty more pulling in millions beyond the grave. Among those closest to making the cut were Frank Sinatra, Bruce Lee, Joan Rivers, George Harrison, Richard Rogers, Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Cash and Kurt Cobain.

  In order to compile this year's list, Forbes checked pretax earnings from October 1, 2014 through October 1, 2015, and included income from record sales, music publishing, film residuals, licensing and other ventures. Their sources included lawyers, managers and agents connected to key celebrity estates.

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