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10/28/2005: Still The King...
Forbes magazine ("Capitalist Tool") has announced its annual list of the highest earning celebrities who are in probably the worst position to enjoy their good fortune:
They're famous across the globe. Their work is treasured by millions. And they're rolling in cash--they just can't spend any of it.It comes as no surprise to me that the the top name on the list is the one... the only..... Elvis. After all, I live in Memphis (where Elvis is the single biggest industry), and I've seen Graceland, up close and personal, so I stand in awe of the Presley Family Moneymaking Machine.
The 13 members of our annual Highest-Earning Dead Celebrities list brought in a collective $186 million in the last year. They, or more accurately, their estates, earned that money by selling their work--both written and recorded--or just the rights to use their likenesses on T-shirts, posters or in advertisements. Sometimes their life stories themselves are worth something: Musician Ray Charles makes the list for the first time this year, in part because of income related to his 2004 biopic. Johnny Cash, who also makes his first appearance this year, has his own movie out in November.
The not-so-fortunate 13:
1. Elvis PresleyIn addition to the list of the top earning celebs, Forbes also listed a few of the also-rans, the dead celebs who just barely failed to make the cut:
2. Charles Schulz
3. John Lennon
4. Andy Warhol
5. Theodor "Dr. Seuss" Geisel
6. Marlon Brando
7. Marilyn Monroe
8. J.R.R. Tolkien
9. George Harrison
10. Johnny Cash
11. Irving Berlin
12. Bob Marley
13. Ray Charles
James Dean
Albert Einstein
Jerry Garcia
Tupac Shakur
Cole Porter
Len on 10.28.05 @ 06:12 AM CST
