Who is the top earning dead celebrity for 2008?

Forbes' has been tracking the top-earning, deceased celebrity since 2001. Except for 2006, one person has been on the top of that list from 2001-08. The King of Rock ’n’ Roll Elvis Presley, left this world 31 years ago, but he remains the top-earning dead celebrity. Elvis Presley pulled in $52 million in the past year, helped by increased traffic at his Graceland estate to commemorate the 30th anniversary of his death, and new ventures such as an Elvis Sirius Satellite Radio show added to a long list of publishing and licensing deals.

The famous cartoonist, Charles Schulz, came at second place with earnings of $33 million. Charles died in 2000 and is best known for his “Peanuts” comic strip.

The Joker in “The Dark Knight”, Heath Ledger came at third place. Ledger, 28, died from an accidental prescription drug overdose in January.

The fourth-richest dead celebrity is German-born physicist Albert Einstein, whose estate raked in $18 million in earnings, mainly from Disney’s “Baby Einstein” videos and toys for children.

Source: http://www.forbes.com/