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J. R. R. Tolkien

Forbes Magazine has placed deceased fantasy author J. R. R. Tolkien high on its list of top-earning dead celebrities, claiming the estate of the creator of The Lord of the Rings series pulled in an estimated $50 million in revenues last year.

Tolkien passed away in 1973, aged 81, after creating what is arguably the best-known fantasy series of all time. The author’s son Christopher has published a series of works based on Tolkien’s notes and unfinished manuscripts following his death, including The Silmarillon and The Children of Hurin.

Forbes wrote that while Tolkien still sees book royalties from The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit and so on, the majority of the projected earnings came after his estate settled a lawsuit with New Line Cinema over profit participation in the movie versions of The Lord of the Rings:

“September’s agreement was reported at over $100 million, meaning J.R.R. Tolkien earned a sizable income in the last year. His earning potential isn’t dimming: The Hobbit is rumored for release in 2011, with directors Guillermo del Toro and Peter Jackson at the helm.”

Other authors on the list include Theodor Geisel, creator of the Dr Seuss series ($15 million) and Michael Crichton, best known for his Jurassic Park series ($9 million).