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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No. 1: Michael Jackson, “King of Pop”
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images
Annual payday: $825 million
Died in 2009
No. 2: Charles Schulz, “Peanuts” cartoonist
CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images
Annual payday: $48 million
Died in 2000
No. 3: Arnold Palmer, golfing star
Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images
Annual payday: $40 million
Died in 2016
No. 4: Elvis Presley, rock music legend and actor
Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images
Annual payday: $27 million
Died in 1977
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No. 5: Prince, singer/songwriter
Kevin Winter/Getty Images
Annual payday: $25 million
Died in 2016
No. 6: Bob Marley, reggae music star
Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Annual payday: $21 million
Died in 1981
No. 7: Dr. Seuss (Theodor Geisel), author and cartoonist
Gene Lester/Getty Images
Annual payday: $20 million
Died in 1991
No. 8: John Lennon, singer/songwriter; co-founder of the Beatles
Art Zelin/Getty Images
Annual payday: $12 million
Died in 1980
No. 9: Albert Einstein, Nobel prize-winning physicist
Lambert/Getty Images
Annual payday: $11.5 million
Died in 1955
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No. 10: Bettie Page, iconic pin-up model
Archive Photos/Getty Images
Annual payday: $11 million
Died in 2008
No. 11: David Bowie, singer/songwriter
Gijsbert Hanekroot/Getty Images
Annual payday: $10.5 million
Died in 2016
No. 12: Steve McQueen, actor
Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images
Died in 1980
Annual payday: $9 million
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