Peanuts cartoons still appear in 2,400 newspapers worldwide

Forbes, the American business magazine which chronicles the rich, said this list proves that celebrity has earning power long beyond death, provided the infrastructure is put in place while the star is alive.

"Lucrative licensing agreements and fat royalty cheques keep rolling," said the magazine.

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Elvis tops the list thanks to ongoing album sales and the $15m (�10.3m) income from his home - the Graceland mansion in Memphis, Tennessee.

In second place is Peanuts creator Charles Schulz who died of cancer aged 77 last year.

Schulz earned an estimated $30m (�24.1) a year during his life through his cartoon characters, which include Snoopy and Charlie Brown.

Syndication and merchandising fees keeps Schulz's earnings buoyant.

Monroe images are still best-sellers nearly 40 years after her death

Continued fascination with The Beatles has brought John Lennon - the highest earning Briton on the list.

It was the 20th anniversary of Lennon's death last year and royalties on memorabilia and his records count for his success last year, particularly those on the release of the Beatles compilation album 1.

Musicians in general fared well on the list with legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix and reggae hero Bob Marley coming in fifth and sixth.

Some stars did well on the sale of their name and look, including Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe and James Dean all of whom count as style icons.

Monroe is the only woman to make it onto the list, at 12th.

Sales of authors were boosted by film adaptations.

Dr Seuss creator Theodor Geisel's �11.7m earnings had a boost from the Jim Carrey movie The Grinch.

Publicity surrounding the forthcoming adaptation of The Lord of the Rings trilogy will have boosted author JRR Tolkein's posthumous earnings.

Top earning deceased celebrities

1: Elvis Presley $35m (�24.6m)

2: Charles Schulz $20m plus (�13.7m+)

3: John Lennon $20m (�13.7m)

4: Theodor "Dr Seuss" Geisel $17m (�11.7m)

5: Jimi Hendrix $10m plus (�6.9m)

6: Bob Marley $10m (�6.9m)

7: Andy Warhol $8m (�5.5m)

8: JRR Tolkien $7m (�4.8m)

9: Frank Sinatra $6m (�4.1m)

10: Jerry Garcia $5m (�3.4m)

11: Keith Haring $4m plus (�2.75m)

12: Marilyn Monroe $4m (�2.75m)

13: James Dean $3m (�2m)

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