Michael Jackson Is Top-Earning Deceased Celebrity

Michael Jackson has topped a list of the highest-earning deceased celebrities, making more money in the past year than Elvis Presley and John Lennon. "The Thriller" icon, who died in June last year, posthumously pulled in $275 million over the past 12 months with his back catalog and merchandising deals.

His concert film "This Is It", which documented preparations for his ill-fated London stage residency, also made $250 million at the box office. Jackson's earnings were greater than the total combined earnings of the 12 other dead stars on Forbes magazine's list, including Presley, "Lord of the Rings" author J.R.R. Tolkien, "Peanuts" animator Charles Schulz and Beatles legend Lennon, who rounded out the top five respectively.