13. Andy Warhol | Forbes.com: Top-Earning Dead Celebs of 2009 | Comcast.net

Dashboard

Forbes.com: Top-Earning Dead Celebs of 2009

13. Andy Warhol

Even if you don't know art, you know Warhol. His likenesses have be lent to various fashion designers and retailers. The deals have attributed to the $6 million Warhol has made this year making him lucky number 13 on Forbes.com's list of Top-Earning Dead Celebrities of 2009. (Photo by John Minihan/Getty Images)

More from this Slideshow

0 of 0

13. Andy Warhol Even if you don't know art, you know Warhol. His likenesses have be lent to various fashion designers and retailers. The deals have attributed to the $6 million Warhol has made this year making him lucky number 13 on Forbes.com's list of Top-Earning Dead Celebrities of 2009. (Photo by John Minihan/Getty Images)
12. Aaron Spelli... Spelling gave soap operas a new meaning with the creation of hits like "Beverly Hills 90210," "Dynasty," and "7th Heaven." The CW is currently airing remakes of his shows Beverly Hills 90210 and Melrose Place and he's seeing $8 million from it. (Photo by Stephen Shugerman/Getty Images)
11. Jimi Hendrix In February, the Hendrix estate was awarded $3.2 million in a trademark infringement case after a Seattle businessman and Hendrix's brother Leon created a product called Hendrix Electric Vodka without permission of the Hendrix estate, which is controlled by sister Janie. This upped Hendrix's earnings for the year to $8 million. (Photo by Evening Standard/Getty Images)
10. Michael Cric... It's not uncommon for writers to continue to publish works after their death. Such is the case with Michael Crichton, but the difference is he has earned $9 million with his this year.

Crichton's latest book, "Pirate Latitudes," was discovered by his assistant and will be published next month. Famed director Steven Spielberg has already acquired the rights to turn the book into a movie. (Photo by Keith Bedford/Getty Images)
9. Albert Einste... This physicist continues to boggle the mind. How has Einstein managed to generate $10 million in 2009? Well, when you lend your name to McDonald's Happy Meals promoting "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian" and Baby Einstein products to massage the brains of our youth it's not a tough equation to solve. (Photo by Central Press/Getty Images)
8. Dr. Seuss (Th... Geisel, the all-time best-selling children's author remains on the charts nearly two decades after his death. In 2008, he sold 5 million books, and he's on track to do the same in 2009. Combine that with the adaption of his wildly successful books into movies and you have a man who has accrued $15 million. (AP Photo/Nathan Martin)
7. John Lennon The 1980 murder of John Lennon rocked the world of music, but his untimely death didn't stop his talent from carrying on. The Beatles have remained current by giving everyone the chance to jam with them thanks to the video game sensation The Beatles: Rock Band. That along with other uses of The Beatles' iconic tunes got John banked $15 million this year. (Photo by Keystone Features/Getty Images)
6. Charles Schul... The creator of the lovable Snoopy character passed away in 2000, but nine years later his cartoon legacy is still going strong. With new movies and a line of sneakers in the works, Schulz has become worth $35 million in 2009. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
5. J.R.R. Tolkie... If you've seen "The Lord of the Rings" you know the work of author J.R.R. Tolkien. The hobbit mastermind died at the age of 81, but thanks to the sci-fi legacy he left behind, Tolkien banked $50 million in 2009. (Photo by Haywood Magee/Picture Post/Getty Images)
4. Elvis Presley The King of Rock n' Roll has been dead since 1977, yet he's managed to rake in $55 million this year thanks to Graceland admissions and an licensing of his portfolio along with merchandise deals. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
3. Michael Jacks... The King of Pop's June 25, 2009 death was highly publicized. The $90 million he's earned since his unexpected death is widely attributed to merchandising deals and the rights to the use of his name and likeness in the film "This Is It." (Photo by Carlo Allegri/Getty Images)
2. Richard Rodge... The musical duo's usual income from catalog licensing fees got a boost this year from the reported $200 million acquisition by Imagem Music Group of The Rodgers and Hammerstein Organization and the rights to the pair's creations including ownership of musicals like "Oklahoma!," and "The King and I." (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
1. Yves Saint La... The fashion designer died on June 1, 2008, but managed to earn $350 million in 2009 making him the top-earning dead celebrity of the year. A 3-day art auction of pieces from his collection, including Mondrians and Matisses helped push the fashion pioneer to the top of the list. (Photo by Reg Lancaster/Express/Getty Images)
Celebrities with... To find out which stars haven't paid their taxes, click here.

Advertisement - Ad Feedback

Loading...