He may have left the building 30 years ago, but Elvis Presley continues to be a good earner, ousting grunge rocker Kurt Cobain at the top of this year’s list of the highest-paid dead celebrities.

“The King” earned 49 million dollars in the last year, toppling the late Nirvana frontman and regaining his top spot on the Forbes.com list.

The website ranks 13 celebrities now pushing up daisies on their income and proves that death is no obstacle to making money, with the group collectively earning a combined 232 million dollars in the last year.

Cashing in on lawsuits and disputes that open the way for Beatles hits to be sold online, John Lennon came second with 44 million dollars in the last year, while fellow late Beatle George Harrison came fourth with some 22 million.

“Peanuts” creator Charles Schulz, whose cartoons are still syndicated in thousands of newspapers worldwide seven years after his death, came third with 35 million dollars, ahead of Albert Einstein with 18 million.

Another cartoonist, Theodor Geisel, creator of the Dr Seuss series, ranked seventh, one place behind Andy Warhol but ahead of Marilyn Monroe, whose image continues to pay rich dividends more than 40 years after her death.

Late rapper Tupac Shakur, gunned down in 1996, returned to the list after a four-year absence with a paycheck of nine million dollars, while Hollywood star Steve McQueen entered the listing for the first time with six million.

James Brown, who died last December, made his debut at 11th place with five million dollars, ahead of reggae legend Bob Marley with four million dollars and 1950s Hollywood heartthrob James Dean with 3.5 million.

Agence France-Presse