Jackson has earned $72 mil since death
Pop star is No. 3 on Forbes’ list of dead celebrity earnings
Even before the “This Is It” opening, Michael Jackson had earned $90 million in the past year, with most of it coming since his death five months ago.
That sizable sum put him third on the Forbes list of dead celebrities making the most money.
Jackson earned less than the $350 million that fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent scored in the past year, and the $235 million earned by the songwriting duo Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein.
Forbes counted money earned from October 2008-October 2009, even for Jackson, who died June 25. But about $72 million — or 80% of the $90 million earned in the past 12 months — came after Jackson’s death, said a spokesperson for GreenLight, a consultancy company that represents “delebs,” their term for dead celebrities still earning money.
This October Jackson — along with AEG Entertainment and Sony — began raking in money for next year’s list as the concert-rehearsal documentary “This Is It” opened in 3,500 domestic theaters and around the world.
As for the rest of the Forbes list, it’s the first time at No. 1 for Saint Laurent, who died in June 2008. And Rodgers and Hammerstein, who died in 1979 and 1960, respectively, are high on the list this time around courtesy of a $200 million acquisition of much of their catalog in April.
Coming in fourth is last year’s No. 1, Elvis Presley, with $55 million; “The Lord of the Rings” author J.R.R. Tolkien is fifth with $50 million.
The rest of the Top 13 — a Forbes deleb tradition — consists of Charles Schulz, John Lennon, Theodor Geisel (aka Dr. Seuss), Albert Einstein, Michael Crichton, Jimi Hendrix, Aaron Spelling and Andy Warhol. Full story here.
Madonna neighbour sues over noise
A woman who lives in an apartment above Madonna in Manhattan has complained to the New York State Supreme Court about the pop star rehearsing to loud music.
Madonna moved into the building last year after her divorce from Guy Ritchie
BBC quoted Karen George as saying that the star and “her invited guests repeatedly dance and / or train” to “unreasonable high decibel amplified music”. She is suing the management company of the Manhattan building, saying it has failed to act on her complaints. Spokeswomen for the management company and Madonna have declined to comment. Ms George said she had been forced to leave the building during the sessions – which caused “noise and vibration to pour through the walls” – because she found them “unbearable”. She said nothing had been done since she first complained in 2008.
Madonna moved into the seventh-floor apartment in the building, which overlooks Central Park, following her divorce from film director Guy Ritchie.
US film star Patrick Swayze dies
Dirty Dancing film star Patrick Swayze has died aged 57. The US actor, who had been battling pancreatic cancer for nearly two years, died with family at his side on Monday.
Swayze was diagnosed with advanced stage four pancreatic cancer in January last year.
The actor had been starring in US TV show The Beast since being diagnosed with the disease. He had also planned to write a memoir with his wife.
“Patrick Swayze passed away peacefully today with family at his side after facing the challenges of his illness for the last 20 months,” said a statement by his publicist Annett Wolf.
Patrick Swayze was best-known for starring in Dirty Dancing and Ghost.
In January, the star admitted he might only have two years to live, but denied he was near death.
In a US TV interview, he admitted he was “scared” and “going through hell”.
ghost – demi moore & patrick swayze – unchained melody by the righteous brothers