So regular rich lists of living, breathing celebrities are old news. We've already told you which animals are earning the most and now, it's time to get jealous of corpses.
It's a common saying that stars tend to earn more money posthumously but it might still come as a surprise to hear that the 15 celebrities listed made over $365 million in the past 12 months alone.
While some of the entrants are fairly predictable (Michael Jackson's popularity continues to endure), there are a few surprises. Since October 2010, Marilyn Monroe and Bettie Page have seen their earnings surge. Earlier this year, Authentic Brand Management bought the rights to Monroe’s estate and they've already placed her in a J'Adore advert opposite Charlize Theron and developed a new line of Monroe cafés.
Bettie Page has also had a bit of a comeback with a chain of stores called Bettie Page Clothing opening around the US.
The list was compiled by Forbes, who spoke to agents, lawyers and other sources to estimate each star’s gross earnings (before taxes, management fees and other costs).
13=. Andy Warhol - $6 million
13=. Bettie Page - $6 million
13=. George Harrison - $6 million
9=. Richard Rodgers - $7 million
9=. Steve McQueen - $7 million
9=. Stieg Larsson - $7 million
9=. Jimi Hendrix - $7 million
8. Theodor Geisel - $8 million
7. Albert Einstein - $10 million
5=. Elizabeth Taylor - $12 million
5=. John Lennon - $12 million
4. Charles Schulz - $25 million
3. Marilyn Monroe - $27 million
2. Elvis Presley - $55 million
1. Michael Jackson - $170 million
(Images: Rex Features)
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