Michael Jackson, Dead Celebrity Earnings | featured news

They were the best of friends when they were alive, and now they're competitors from the grave. The late Elizabeth Taylor has surpassed Michael Jackson on Forbes' annual list of top-earning dead celebrities, banking $210 million for the No. 1 spot and besting the King of Pop's $145 million haul.

There is a career after death, at least if while alive you wielded star power like Marilyn Monroe... Monroe ranked third last year in Forbes' annual list of top deceased celebrity earners, generating $27 million and coming in behind Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley. It was a comeback for the actress, who had fallen off the list the previous two years.

Despite more than $310 million in earnings since his death, Michael Jackson's lavish spending habits still haunt his legacy and have required lawyers to create new deals and restructure old debts, court records show.

With gross earnings of $275 million, Michael Jackson earned more than the other 12 deceased stars on the list combined.

Michael Jackson's estate has earned more than $250 million in the year since he died, according to lawyers.

The estate of Michael Jackson agrees a deal worth $200m (£160m) with the record label Sony, US reports say.

Pop star is No. 3 on Forbes' list of dead celebrity earnings.