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Share

The 12 highest-earning dead celebrities

Judy Martel
October 25, 2016  in  Celebrity Money

1 of 13

12 highest-paid dead celebrities | Phil Walter/Getty Images
12 highest-paid dead celebrities

Phil Walter/Getty Images

The late, great Michael Jackson, whose “Thriller” remains the top-selling album of all time, made more money during the past year than any other celebrity — living or dead.

And he’s not the only star who’s still bringing in a fortune from the grave. Based on a Forbes analysis of recent annual pretax earnings data, here are the 12 highest-paid dead celebrities of 2016.

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2 of 13

Michael Jackson | Kevin Mazur/Getty Images
No. 1: Michael Jackson, “King of Pop”

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

Annual payday: $825 million

Died in 2009

3 of 13

Charles Schulz | CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images
No. 2: Charles Schulz, “Peanuts” cartoonist

CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images

Annual payday: $48 million

Died in 2000

4 of 13

Arnold Palmer | Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images
No. 3: Arnold Palmer, golfing star

Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Annual payday: $40 million

Died in 2016

5 of 13

Elvis Presley | NBC/Getty Images
No. 4: Elvis Presley, rock music legend and actor

Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Annual payday: $27 million

Died in 1977

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6 of 13

Elvis Presley | Kevin Winter/Getty Images
No. 5: Prince, singer/songwriter

Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Annual payday: $25 million

Died in 2016

7 of 13

Elvis Presley | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
No. 6: Bob Marley, reggae music star

Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Annual payday: $21 million

Died in 1981

8 of 13

Dr. Seuss | Gene Lester/Getty Images
No. 7: Dr. Seuss (Theodor Geisel), author and cartoonist

Gene Lester/Getty Images

Annual payday: $20 million

Died in 1991

9 of 13

John Lennon | Art Zelin/Getty Images
No. 8: John Lennon, singer/songwriter; co-founder of the Beatles

Art Zelin/Getty Images

Annual payday: $12 million

Died in 1980

10 of 13

Albert Einstein | Lambert/Getty Images
No. 9: Albert Einstein, Nobel prize-winning physicist

Lambert/Getty Images

Annual payday: $11.5 million

Died in 1955

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11 of 13

Bettie Page | Archive Photos/Getty Images
No. 10: Bettie Page, iconic pin-up model

Archive Photos/Getty Images

Annual payday: $11 million

Died in 2008

12 of 13

David Bowie | Gijsbert Hanekroot/Getty Images
No. 11: David Bowie, singer/songwriter

Gijsbert Hanekroot/Getty Images

Annual payday: $10.5 million

Died in 2016

13 of 13

Steve McQueen | Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images
No. 12: Steve McQueen, actor

Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images

Died in 1980

Annual payday: $9 million

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