QUICK TAKES - Oct. 29, 2009

The richest dead celebrity isn’t Michael Jackson, according to Forbes magazine.

Although the self-proclaimed King of Pop’s estate has been big news since his death in June, the top-earning dead celebrity is French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent. Forbes released its ninth annual poll Wednesday.

According to the magazine, Laurent earned $350 million in the last year. Much of his estate was auctioned off at Christie’s in February. Laurent died of brain cancer in June 2008.

Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II rank second with combined earnings of $235 million, followed by Jackson ($90 million), Elvis Presley ($55 million) and J.R.R. Tolkien ($50 million). Charles Schulz, John Lennon, Theodor Geisel, Albert Einstein and Michael Crichton round out the top 10.