With $140 million haul, the legendary entertainer Michael Jackson tops the 2014 Forbes’ list of top-earning dead celebrities. Some celebrities are brands to reckon with even after their death.
Even though these celebrities are not among us, they are very much alive through their work. They have proved that there is (financial) life after death.
Here are the top 10 highest earning dead celebrities of 2014.
10) Bruce Lee ($9 million)
Martial arts expert Bruce Lee was just 32 when he died of cerebral edema on July 7 1973. He appeared in an ad for Mazda this year!
9) Theodor Geisel ($9 million)
Theodor Geisel died on September 24 1991 when he was 87. He continues to be a best-selling author worldwide.
8) Albert Einstein ($11 million)
Albert Einstein died on April 18 1955. He continues to corner the market on ‘smart’. He has his own line of tablets.
7) John Lennon ($12 million)
John Lennon was murdered on December 8 1980, when he was just 40 years old. His estate continues to earn through iTunes sales, a Beatles Cirque du Soleil show and from licensing deals with popular brands like Cisco.
6) Marilyn Monroe ($17 million)
Marilyn Monroe was just 36 when she passed away on August 15 1962. Authentic Brand Group bought the rights to Monroe in 2011. Since then they have been working hard to strengthen her brand. There is a line of Monroe lingerie to go along with her successful clothing line at Macy’s.
5) Bob Marley ($20 million)
The reggae legend Bob Marley was only 36 when he died of cancer on May 11 1981. His earnings are up $2 million in 2014, thanks largely to a diversified range of ventures like House of Marley and Marley Beverage Company. His estate has launched Marley Apparel this year.
4) Elizabeth Taylor ($25 million)
Elizabeth Taylor died of heart failure on March 23, 2011. She represents the last of Hollywood’s glamour era. She was 79 when she passed away. Her perfume line is still a best seller and her estate has only begun to make use of her image. So you can definitely expect to see a lot more from her in the coming years.
3) Charles Schulz ($40 million)
Colon cancer killed Charles Schulz on February 12 2000. Today his most famous creation, The Peanuts, is getting a makeover with a 3-D movie. He was 77 when he died.
2) Elvis Presley ($55 million)
Elvis Presley was just 42 when he died of heart attack on August 16 1977. Today, more than three decades after his death, he earns from Graceland admissions, licensing and merchandising, and a Las Vegas Cirque du Soleil show. He is a perennial favorite and is very popular on social media.
1) Michael Jackson ($140 million)
The King of Pop died on June 25, 2009. His second posthumous album release with Xscape, debuted at #2 on the charts. Much of his money comes from two Cirque du Soleil shows: Immortal and One; his half of the Sony/ATV publishing empire; and his own MiJac catalogue.
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