Something for the weekend: With Halloween this week, many employees may be on the lookout for signs from beyond the grave. However, it appears that those in the underworld can not only receive messages from the land of living, but also their wages as Michael Jackson is named as 2017’s highest-paid dead celebrity.
Musician Jackson, who passed away on 25 June 2009, earned $75 million (£57 million) this year, according to the Highest-Paid Dead Celebrities Of 2017 list compiled by Forbes. Golfer Arnold Palmer, who died on 25 September 2016, is ranked in second place with earnings of $40 million (£31 million) for 2017. Third place is awarded to cartoonist Charles Schulz, who passed away on 12 February 2000. His 2017 earnings amounted to $38 million (£29 million).
The highest-paid dead celebrities of 2017 are:
- Michael Jackson, died 25 June 2009: $75 million (£57.3 million).
- Arnold Palmer, died 25 September 2016: $40 million (£30.5 million).
- Charles Schulz, died 12 February 2000: $38 million (£29 million).
- Elvis Presley, died 16 August 1977: $35 million (£26.7 million).
- Bob Marley, died 11 May 1981: $23 million (£17.5 million).
- Tom Petty, died 2 October 2017: $20 million (£15.2 million).
- Prince, died 21 April 2016: $18 million (£13.7 million).
- Dr Seuss, died 24 September 1991: $16 million (£12.2 million).
- John Lennon, died 8 December 1980: $12 million (£9.1 million).
- Albert Einstein, died 18 April 1955: $10 million (£7.6 million).
- David Bowie, died 10 January 2016: $9.5 million (£7.2 million)
- Elizabeth Taylor, died 23 March 2011: $8 million (£6.1 million).
- Bettie Page, died 11 December 2008: $7.5 million (£5.7 million).
