Mei Fong and Debra Lau

Mei Fong and Debra Lau

2/28/2001 @ 9:00AM

Earnings From The Crypt

Just because you’re dead doesn’t mean you can’t make a good living–especially if you happen to be famous while you are alive. Lucrative licensing agreements and fat royalty checks keep rolling in long after many celebrities have shuffled off this mortal coil. Consider Elvis Presley Elvis Presley : Last year the King pulled down an estimated $35 million–$15 million of it from Graceland admissions–making him the richest guy in the graveyard.

Nipping at Elvis’ anklebones is “Peanuts” creator Charles Schulz Charles Schulz , who debuted his posthumous career by earning $20 million since his death from colon cancer at age 77 in February 2000.

Others in our first annual survey of the cemetery include Lord of the Rings author J.R.R. Tolkien J.R.R. Tolkien ($7 million), Theodor “Dr. Seuss” Geisel Theodor “Dr. Seuss” Geisel ($17 million) and reggae shaman Bob Marley Bob Marley ($10 million).

Check out the complete list of the 13 highest paid deceased celebrities below.

Forbes Richest Deceased Celebrities
Rank Name 2000 Earnings
1 Elvis Presley $35 million
2 Charles Schulz $20 million plus
3 John Lennon $20 million
4 Theodor “Dr. Seuss” Geisel $17 million
5 Jimi Hendrix $10 million plus
6 Bob Marley $10 million
7 Andy Warhol $8 million
8 J.R.R. Tolkien $7 million
9 Frank Sinatra $6 million
10 Jerry Garcia $5 million
11 Keith Haring $4 million plus
12 Marilyn Monroe $4 million
13 James Dean $3 million

Elvis Presley

There are Elvis Presley Elvis Presley impersonators everywhere who don’t pay royalties to use the King’s identity, but he’s still the richest guy in the celebrity graveyard. Since he first launched his recording career, Elvis has sold more than one billion albums, generating royalties for his family. Elvis left daughter Lisa-Marie his Graceland mansion in Memphis, Tenn., which pulls down $15 million in admission fees annually, while tchotchkes like T-shirts and toys earn the estate another $5 million. In the afterlife, Elvis also gets a hefty take from tourist traps like nearby Heartbreak Hotel and Elvis Presley’s Memphis restaurant. Unsubstantiated rumors of Elvis sightings persist long after his death, but it’s a fact that he’s also profited from posthumous appearances in ads for Lipton Brisk Iced Tea, Energizer batteries, insurance firm American International Group and Apple Computer .

Forbes Richest Deceased Celebrities

Charles Schulz

Charles Schulz Charles Schulz ‘s 50-year-old comic strip is pulling down a lot more than peanuts for the estate of Charlie Brown’s creator. The “Peanuts” copyright and trademark are owned by E.W. Scripps subsidiary United Media , but the estate, which is handled by Charles M. Schulz Creative Associates , still gets half of all the syndication and merchandising fees that the strip generates. Schulz Creative also wields creative control over how reprints and characters like Snoopy and Linus are used by advertisers like MetLife . Though Charles Schulz never drew a fresh strip after his retirement in January 2000, more than 2,400 newspapers all over the world continue to carry “Peanuts” reruns. Still, 95% of Schulz Creative’s income is actually from licensing deals for things like stickers and stuffed animals. Japan has a particularly strong penchant for Snoopy, et al.: Companies in that country own 40% of “Peanuts’” 900 worldwide licensing agreements. You’re a lucrative man, Charlie Brown.

Forbes Richest Deceased Celebrities

John Lennon

Imagine all the money. Thanks to 1, the new Beatles compilation album that now sits in the number two slot on Billboard’s Hot 100, John Lennon John Lennon ‘s widow, Yoko Ono Yoko Ono and the remaining Beatles–Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr–are each at least $10 million richer. Another of their latest money-makers is The Beatles Anthology, a 368-page coffee-table book filled with interviews, photos, lyrics and other nostalgia. It’s currently one of The New York Times‘ top 30 best-selling books. This latest round of royalties is of course just icing on the cake for Lennon, who was killed by a fan outside his home at New York’s Dakota building. Since Lennon co-wrote most of the Beatles’ hits with McCartney, his estate pulls in half of all publishing rights, which are paid each time a song airs on the radio, as well as 25% of all royalties from record sales. Not a bad net for a “Hard Day’s Night.”

Forbes Richest Deceased Celebrities

Theodor “Dr. Seuss” Geisel

The Grinch sure didn’t spoil Christmas for the heirs of Dr. Seuss. Thanks a licensing deal with Universal Studios for the Jim Carrey Jim Carrey hit, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, the estate of Theodor Theodor Geisel Geisel Theodor Geisel collected some $10 million in 2000 alone. Not bad for someone who has been dead for a decade. Thanks to shrewd negotiations by his widow, Audrey Geisel, Dr. Seuss’ estate reportedly got 5% of the film’s gross profits, 50% of its merchandising and soundtrack revenue and 70% of the income from movie-related book sales. Under Audrey Geisel’s direction, Dr. Seuss Enterprises, which represents the estate, gives all of its proceeds to charity. And there are more proceeds to come: The outfit just signed a similar film deal with Universal for The Cat in the Hat. The silver screen aside, book sales of his 44 perennial childhood favorites have always generated steady and substantial income. Since the debut of Dr. Seuss, more than 400 million copies of his books have been sold. No doubt the doctor’s cat would tip his hat to that.

Forbes Richest Deceased Celebrities

Jimi Hendrix

While alive, Jimi Hendrix Jimi Hendrix released just four albums. But now there are over a dozen official albums featuring his music thanks to the musician’s family. Hendrix’s father and stepsister couldn’t actually take full control of Hendrix’s estate until 1995 after a long battle with family lawyer Leo Branton, whom the elder Hendrix had originally hired to manage his son’s legacy. Branton had tried to sell Hendrix’s music rights to various record labels without his family’s approval. With a $5 million loan from Microsoft co-founder and Hendrix fan Paul Allen Paul Allen , the Hendrix clan was able to fight the court case. Since the family’s takeover, the licensing and merchandising of Hendrix products have “Kissed The Sky.”

Forbes Richest Deceased Celebrities

Bob Marley

Music sales for the reggae icon Bob Marley Bob Marley didn’t actually start “Jammin” until three years after his death with the release of the album Legend. The retrospective of his work became the best-selling reggae album of all time and made Marley a legend himself. Since then the image of his dreadlocked countenance has become synonymous with the laid back island lifestyle, which is probably why there have been several attempts by advertisers to use his image without permission. His estate has successfully taken legal action against a French cigarette company and a Panamanian brewery for such infringement. While most of Marley’s income is from record royalties, 15% of his estate’s take is from sales of over-the-top trinkets like Bob Marley soccer shoes and knapsacks made of hemp, which may or may not actually do anything to promote the Rastafarian revolution.

Forbes Richest Deceased Celebrities

Andy Warhol

Silkscreens of Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe and Campbell’s Soup cans are what’s most closely associated with Andy Warhol Andy Warhol . But instead of capitalizing on that fact, his estate, which gives all of its proceeds to charity, is trying to expand his image by perpetuating the pop culture creator’s lesser-known pieces. His 1950s shoe drawings now appear on silk scarves, for instance, and his camouflage paintings adorn umbrellas. The estate’s Andy Warhol Foundation has more than 40 licensing deals worldwide to produce everything from tote bags to calendars. And it’s not just his art that’s in demand. Last year, British Airways and Mercedes paid for the privilege of using a silver-haired Warhol look-alike in their commercials, affording the artist more than his 15 minutes of fame.

Forbes Richest Deceased Celebrities

J.R.R. Tolkien

On the Internet, the trailer for The Lord Of The Rings film has already been downloaded more times than the trailer for the overhyped Star Wars: Phantom Menace. The $100 million movie, based on J.R.R.Tolkien ‘s book, is shaping up to be a smash.Too bad The Hobbit‘s author sold the movie rights for the trilogy to United Artists in 1969. He was, however, lucky enough to strike a deal with the publisher of the popular Rings series to split the profits of the sales 50-50, instead of taking an advance and the standard 10% to 15% royalties. Since then, Tolkien and his heirs have reaped a dragon’s hoarde of royalties, with the books still going strong on the best-sellers lists. In fact, recent U.K. reader polls have actually ranked Lord of the Rings above the Bible in popularity.

Forbes Richest Deceased Celebrities

Frank Sinatra

He may have been chairman of the board but there aren’t too many businesses interested in having him pitch their products–probably because he lived well into old age. Advertisers prefer to associate with those who died early and are therefore forever young, like Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe and James Dean James Dean . But Frank Sinatra Frank Sinatra still scores big in music royalties. Though he didn’t compose most of his songs, Ol’ Blue Eyes’ estate still gets a cut each time a song like “New York, New York” is used commercially–and that’s pretty often. This year Sinatra’s record sales will probably see a spike since he was nominated for a 2001 Grammy with Celine Dion Celine Dion , who did a posthumous duet with him–a la Natalie Cole Natalie Cole and Nat King Cole Nat King Cole –on her album All the Way…A Decade of Song.

Forbes Richest Deceased Celebrities

Jerry Garcia

The Grateful Dead’s lead singer has been dead for six years, but sales of neckties and other collectibles “Keep on Truckin.” The Grateful Dead Enterprises line of merchandise–which hawks everything from T-shirts and dog bowls to sports bras–brings in some $30 million a year, which Jerry Garcia Jerry Garcia ‘s estate shares with his former bandmates. Thanks to the Dead’s extensive live-recording collection, the band continues to release new albums that still get scooped up by their fanatical followers, leaving the lead singer’s survivors richer than a scoop of Cherry Garcia ice cream.

Forbes Richest Deceased Celebrities

Keith Haring

Keith Haring Keith Haring , who was best known for his signature crawling baby, got his start scrawling graffiti in New York City subway stations. After his simple figures and bold colors hit it big in the art world, he avoided merchandising for fear of being labeled a sellout. Mentor Andy Warhol Andy Warhol eventually convinced Haring there was no shame in salesmanship, and Haring went on to open his Pop Shop in Manhattan’s SoHo. Now his famous images of angels, babies, and barking dogs appear on everything from greeting cards to bed sheets and shower curtains, most of which are still sold by his Shop and by museums. All proceeds are donated to AIDS and children’s organizations by the Keith Haring Foundation, his estate’s guardian. Last year, Haring sold $2 million worth of collectibles alone, surpassing the $1.5 million worth of limited edition Haring artwork the foundation sold. So even if he did sell out, it was well worth it.

Forbes Richest Deceased Celebrities

Marilyn Monroe

One of her biggest roles was in How to Marry a Millionaire, but when Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe died she had just $3.50 in her apartment. Her image now generates millions of dollars in licensing fees and advertising revenue annually. Monroe’s voice and likeness are used to sell Chanel fashions, Mercedes cars, Gateway Computers, Mikimoto pearls and Levis jeans, while her picture adorns some 2,000 slot machines in LasVegas. There’s a line of Marilyn leather furniture and even a California wine dubbed Marilyn Merlot. When she died, the girl who made diamonds her best friend left her meager personal effects, including nighties, pots and pans and her gym equipment, to acting coach Lee Strasberg. Lee’s widow, Anna, who never knew Monroe, sold the lot in a blowout auction at Christie’s in 1999, raising $13.4 million, most of which went to animal-related charities. Who needs diamonds?

Forbes Richest Deceased Celebrities

James Dean

It pays to die young. Fifty years after his death, James Dean James Dean ‘s persona is more sought after than ever, largely because his early demise left his image untouched by age. The rebellious heartthrob currently hawks everything from Hamilton watches, Lee Jeans and Franklin Mint collectibles to cards by American Greetings, funneling funds to James Dean Inc., which is run by cousin Marcus Winslow. Like most movie stars of his era, Dean was paid a straight salary for his films, so his classic titles like Rebel Without a Cause actually generate very little in the way of royalties for his estate. But he’s still, well, a giant when it comes to licensing and merchandising income, thanks to his enduring popularity in places like Japan, Europe and South America, where this rebel still seems to have a cause.

Forbes Richest Deceased Celebrities
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