Top 10 richest dead celebrities: They just keep getting richer

by Rachel Ogbu

Photo: NY Dailynews

This gives life after death a whole new meaning. A recent list from Frobes has revealed that Elizabeth Taylor is now the highest-earning dead celebrity.

Taylor’s estate led Forbes’ annual list, which was released Wednesday, by raking in $210 million in the past year.

She topped Michael Jackson who was  last year’s richest deceased celebrity with a cool $145 million, followed by Elvis Presley, who earned $55 million.

Taylor passed away in 2011 at 79, and much of her estate’s wealth accumulation in the last year can be attributed to Christie’s auctions of her jewels, clothes, art work and memorabilia.

She also made tens of millions from sales of her perfume White Diamonds and earned a nice chunk of change from her films, in which she had smartly negotiated a 10% ownership stake.

Forbes however predicts the King of Pop will regain his top spot on the list next year due to revenues from music sales.

Charles Schulz, peanuts comic strip creator and reggae singer; Bob Marley round out the top five highest-earning dead celebrities with $37 million and $17 million respectively.

In compiling the list, Forbes analysed dead celebrity earnings for a year starting in October 2011.

As a whole, the 13 deceased celebrities on the list made a total of $532.5 million.

Jimi Hendrix, Andy Warhol and James Dean all earned $5 million last year, just missing the last spot on Forbes list.

FORBES HIGHEST-EARNING DEAD CELEBRITIES

1. Liz Taylor, $210 Million

2. Michael Jackson, $145 Million

3. Elvis Presley, $55 Million

4. Charles Schulz, $37 Million

5. Bob Marley, $17 Million

6. John Lennon, $12 Million

7. Marilyn Monroe, $10 Million

7. Albert Einstein, $10 Million

9. Dr. Seuss, $9 Million

10. Steve McQueen, $8 Million

10 Bettie Page, $8 Million

12. Richard Rogers, $6 Million

13. George Harrison, $5.5 Million

 

Comments (2)

  1. I THINK THERES A MATTER 2 PONDER ON HERE, IF D DEAD WONT STAY DEAD BCOS OF THEIR WORKS; WHAT ARE YOU DOING AS A LIVNG? AND ANOTHR QUESTN: WHT IS THE WORTH OF THOSE DEAD WHERE THEY AR? IN LIGHT OR DARKNSS; IN GAIN OR LOSS; IN STRENGTH OR WKNSS; AND MOST OF ALL, IN REST OR TROUBLE? SOMETIME, SOMEHOW AND BY SOMEWHAT WE'LL BE LIKE THEM. D ONLY WAY NOT 2 STAY DEAD IS UR GOOD OR BAD WORKS, GOOD WORK IN D SALVATN OF CHRIST COVERS UR NAKEDNESS ON D LAST DAY. REV14:13 MSSGE 4 U NOT 4 D DEAD.

  2. It interesting to have Albert Einstein on the list!

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