Forbes’ top earning dead celebrities

#7 Video games and album re-releases made for a $15 million year at the estate of legendary Beatles’ singer/songwriter/guitarist John Lennon. Lennon was assassinated December 8, 1980.   (Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

#6 Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Linus and Lucy brought in more than $35 million for the estate of writer/cartoonist Charles Schulz. Schulz died February 12, 2000.  (CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images)

#5 Middle Earth creator J.R.R. Tolkien earned an amazing $50 million in 2009. The Lord of the Rings author died September 2, 1973.  (Haywood Magee/Getty Images)

#4 “The King of Rock & Roll” is no long the king of the dead celeb earners slipping three notches to number four. But there’s no Crying in the Chapel for the Elvis Presley estate which pulled in $55 million. Elvis died August 16, 1977.  (CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images)

#3 The death of the “King of Pop” created a surge in the sales of music and other merchandise featuring Michael Jackson to the tune of $90 million. Jackson died June 25, 2009.  (LEE CELANO/AFP/Getty Images)

#2 The estates of playwrights Rodgers & Hammerstein took the stage with a $235 million pay period for 2009. Rodgers & Hammerstein died December 30, 1979 and August 23, 1960 respectively.  (Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

The estate of Yves Saint Laurent pulled in a fashionable $350 million on the sale of personal items once belonging to the designer. Yves Saint Laurent died June 1, 2008.  (PIERRE VERDY/AFP/Getty Images)