Forbes' top-earning dead celebrities
Purchase this article for republication
Buy SPH photos-
Elizabeth Taylor arrives for a play in Los Angeles in this Dec 1, 2007 file photo. Taylor earned US$210 million this past year. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
-
American pop-star Michael Jackson performs during his HIStory World Tour concert in Vienna on July 2. Jackson earned US$145 million. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
-
Singer Elvis Presley is pictured in his United States Army uniform in this undated publicity photograph. Presley earned US$55 million. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
-
Charles Schulz, the creator of comic strip characters Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy and the rest of the Peanuts gang, announced on Dec 14 that his last new daily installment of the Peanuts strip will appear on Jan 3, 2000 and his last new Sunday strip will be published on Feb 13, 2000. Schulz earned US$37 million. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
-
A man walks past a portrait of Bob Marley in Vridi's Village Rasta, Abidjan on May 11, 2012. Marley earned US$17 million. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
-
A original photo showing John Lennon and Yoko Ono printed in The Chicago Tribune on May 27, 1969, is displayed at an exhibition in Buenos Aires on Oct 4, 2011. Lennon earned US$12 million. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
-
Actress Marilyn Monroe is seen in this handout image from a collection of previously unpublished photos of her in Alberta, Canada taken in the summer of 1953. The collection of more than 100 previously unpublished photos of Monroe can be seen for the first time in a new book Marilyn: August 1953. The book, published this week by Calla Editions, features digitally restored black and white images of a then 27-year-old Monroe. Monroe earned US$10 million. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
-
Albert Einstein, whose theories on space, time and matter helped unravel the secrets of the atom and of the universe, was chosen as 'Person of the Century' by Time magazine on Dec 26. Einstein earned US$10 million. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
-
Dr. Seuss' The Cat In the Hat is among the 1950s icons being honoured on commemorative stamps issued on May 26 by the United States Postal Service as part of the Celebrate the Century stamp and education programme. The Cat In The Hat was written and illustrated by Theodor Seuss Geisel that repeated syllables, rhythmic verse, and used fanciful drawings to teach children to read and to use their imaginations. Geisel, better known as Dr Seuss, earned US$9 million. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
-
A new exhibit at the Petersen Automotive Musuem in Los Angeles titled Steve McQueen The Legend and the Cars is shown during a press preview on Sept 23, 2005. McQueen earned US$8 million. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Elizabeth Taylor arrives for a play in Los Angeles in this Dec 1, 2007 file photo. Taylor earned US$210 million this past year. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
American pop-star Michael Jackson performs during his HIStory World Tour concert in Vienna on July 2. Jackson earned US$145 million. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Singer Elvis Presley is pictured in his United States Army uniform in this undated publicity photograph. Presley earned US$55 million. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Charles Schulz, the creator of comic strip characters Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy and the rest of the Peanuts gang, announced on Dec 14 that his last new daily installment of the Peanuts strip will appear on Jan 3, 2000 and his last new Sunday strip will be published on Feb 13, 2000. Schulz earned US$37 million. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
A man walks past a portrait of Bob Marley in Vridi's Village Rasta, Abidjan on May 11, 2012. Marley earned US$17 million. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
A original photo showing John Lennon and Yoko Ono printed in The Chicago Tribune on May 27, 1969, is displayed at an exhibition in Buenos Aires on Oct 4, 2011. Lennon earned US$12 million. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Actress Marilyn Monroe is seen in this handout image from a collection of previously unpublished photos of her in Alberta, Canada taken in the summer of 1953. The collection of more than 100 previously unpublished photos of Monroe can be seen for the first time in a new book Marilyn: August 1953. The book, published this week by Calla Editions, features digitally restored black and white images of a then 27-year-old Monroe. Monroe earned US$10 million. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Albert Einstein, whose theories on space, time and matter helped unravel the secrets of the atom and of the universe, was chosen as 'Person of the Century' by Time magazine on Dec 26. Einstein earned US$10 million. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Dr. Seuss' The Cat In the Hat is among the 1950s icons being honoured on commemorative stamps issued on May 26 by the United States Postal Service as part of the Celebrate the Century stamp and education programme. The Cat In The Hat was written and illustrated by Theodor Seuss Geisel that repeated syllables, rhythmic verse, and used fanciful drawings to teach children to read and to use their imaginations. Geisel, better known as Dr Seuss, earned US$9 million. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
A new exhibit at the Petersen Automotive Musuem in Los Angeles titled Steve McQueen The Legend and the Cars is shown during a press preview on Sept 23, 2005. McQueen earned US$8 million. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Images of celebrities including Elizabeth Taylor, Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley who have been named by Forbes as the richest dead celebrities.
Taylor surpassed Jackson as the highest-earning dead celebrity in the past year, with her estate pulling in US$210 million (S$256 million), much of it from the auction of her jewels, costumes and artwork, Forbes said on Wednesday.
Jackson, who died in 2009, dropped into second place with earnings of US$145 million, followed by Elvis Presley with US$55 million.
In addition to the Taylor auction, which totaled US$184 million, the actress, who passed away in 2011 at the age of 79, also earned US$75 million from sales of her top selling perfume White Diamonds.
