BONEYARD BONANZA
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory author Roald Dahl punched his golden ticket to the hereafter more than three decades ago, but the streaming revolution has given him new life. In September, his estate chose Netflix as his final destination, selling the Roald Dahl Story Company to the digital-content giant. The sale vaulted the James and the Giant Peach scribe to the top of our annual ranking of the highest-earning dead celebs for the first time. For full methodology and much more, see forbes.com.
1. Roald Dahl
$513 million (d. 1990)
2. Prince
$120 million (d. 2016)
3. Michael Jackson
$75 million (d. 2009)
5. Dr. Seuss 4. Charles Schulz
$40 million (d. 2000)
$35 million (d. 1991)
6. Bing Crosby
$33 million (d. 1977)
7. Elvis Presley
$30 million (d. 1977)
8. Arnold Palmer
$27 million (d. 2016)
9. Gerry Goffin
$23 million (d. 2014)