According to a new survey by Forbes.com, Elvis Presley is the highest earning dead celebrity. Presley's posthumous income - from record and merchandise sales - exceeds that of next highest earning dead people Charles Schulz and JRR Tolkien. Presley's earnings go to Elvis Presley Enterprises, which is owned by his daughter Lisa Marie.
Announcing the second edition for their annual survey - the top three of which remains unchanged, a spokesman for Forbes.com said yesterday: "The earning power of most deceased people, even famous ones, slows considerably or stops altogether when they die. But for a select few, the pay cheques keep coming and some draw even bigger pay-days than when they were alive."
Other music names still earning include John Lennon - who is fourth in the list with an estimated annual income of £11 million. Other top earners include fellow Beatle George Harrison and Freddy Mercury.