Top 100 Celebrities and Their Pay (Addendum Added)
(Earnings estimates are for June 2005 to June 2006. Figures rounded offwhere appropriate. Exact figures available on Forbes.com. Includesdollars earned solely from entertainment income. Management,agentand attorney fees have not been deducted. Estimates by forbes; sources include Billboard, Pollstar, Adams Media Research, Nielsen SoundScan and Nielsen BookScan. Rankings are generated by combining earnings with other metrics: Web mentions on Google press clips compiled by LexisNexis; TV/radio mentions by Factiva; and number of times a celebrity's face appeared on the cover of 26 major consumer magazines.)
#2 Rolling Stones - Musicians - Pay: $90 million
Last year's A Bigger Bang tour grossed $162 million by the end of 2005,
besting the band's prior record of $120 million grossed from 1994's Voodoo Lounge tour. In February, the band appeared in Rio before an estimated 1.5 million fans, its largest audience ever. Three months later the Stones performed for the first time in China, where government officials banned the group from playing provocative classics like "Brown Sugar" and "Beast of Burden." But the biggest shocker came in May when guitarist Keith Richards fell from a tree while on vacation in Fiji, prompting emergency brain surgery. But the show will go on: new tour dates for the Stones' Bigger Bang tour already have been announced.
#3 Oprah Winfrey - Talking Head - Pay: $225 million
America's richest African-American continues to expand her multimedia empire. Her production of Broadway's "The Color Purple" garnered 11Tony nominations, including Best Musical. (It went on to win one, for Best Musical Actress.) She also is developing a syndicated talk show for popular Food Network star Rachael Ray, in addition to a weekly radio program, "Oprah & Friends," for digital satellite broadcaster XM. And listen closely for Oprah's voice as Gussy, the sage mother goose, in the animated version of "Charlotte's Web," slated for release this Christmas. Winfrey suffered rare criticism last year when her Book Club pick, "A Million Little Pieces" by James Frey, was revealed to have been fabricated. (She castigated the discredited author on her program
ater that month.)
#4 U2 - Musicians - Pay: $110 million
The Irish rockers made more money in 2005 than any other musicians on the planet. Their album "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb" debuted at No. 1 on the U.S. and U.K. charts last year and earned five Grammys, including one for Album of the Year. But U2's prominent position on the Celebrity 100 list is owed largely to the media exposure of front man Bono, who has become an influential activist on behalf of AIDS awareness and debt relief in Africa. He has enjoyed audiences with such world leaders as George W. Bush, Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin and the late Pope John Paul II, as well as a slew of other global leaders, and has pressed them to increase aid to Africa. Last year Bono, who is rarely photographed without his trademark sunglasses, was even nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.
#5 Tiger Woods - Athlete - Pay: $90 million
Woods, still young at 30, has earned $58 million in career tournament winnings, $12 million more than his closest competitor. Add to that lucrative deals with blue chips like Nike, Accenture, General Motors and American Express, and it's no wonder golf's crown prince can afford playthings like his recent purchase of 155-foot yachts and a ten-acre oceanfront estate on Florida's exclusive Jupiter Island. He's not hording his fortune, either. The just opened, $25 million Tiger Woods Learning Center in Anaheim, Calif., features a state-of-the-art educational center and golf practice area for kids.
#6 Steven Spielberg - Director-Producer - Pay: $332 million
The highest earner on this year's Celebrity 100 list made the bulk of his
ncome from the sale of DreamWorks SKG's live-action business to Paramount.Add to that back-end profits from "War of the Worlds," the fourth-highest-grossing film last year, with box office receipts of nearly $600 million. Though "Munich" won critical praise, moviegoers generally shunned the controversial flick inspired by the 1972 massacre of Israeli Olympic athletes. That disappointment may help explain why Spielberg is returning to crowd-pleasers, working up sequels to cinematic favorites "Indiana Jones" and "Jurassic Park."
#7 Howard Stern - Talking head - Pay $302 million
An incredibly lucrative year for the shock jock, thanks to his rich contract with Sirius Satellite Radio, which pays him $100 million annually. (Stern pays all the production costs for his show.) The company also awarded him a one-time $225 million bonus in Sirius stock for meeting subscription benchmarks. That prompted a breach-of-contract lawsuit from CBS Radio, his old employer, which claimed that Stern used CBS airtime to plug Sirius. Stern settled the case in May for an undisclosed sum. The outsized compensation package prompted massive first-quarter losses for Sirius, which has seen its stock tumble 32% to $4.41 since the new year.
#8 50 Cent - Musician - Pay: $41 million
Sales of his 2003 debut album, "Get Rich or Die Tryin'," and last year's
follow-up, "The Massacre," have sold a combined 20 million copie worldwide. But 50 Cent--Fiddy to fans--also lords over G-Unit, a vast multimedia empire that includes apparel, videogames, ringtones, even a stake in Glaceau Vitamin Water, which named its low-cal grape flavor Formula 50 after the former drug dealer. Despite the only modest performance of the "Get Rich" film last year, 50 is slated to appear in at least two more films, including the soon-to-be-released Iraq war flick "Home of the Brave." Stay tuned for his next album before year's end.
#9 Cast of The Sopranos - Actors - Pay: $52. million
Television's most dysfunctional crime-family cast returned after a lengthy hiatus for its final season. James Gandolfini, who reportedly commands $1 million per episode, is moving on to big-screen projects, including the murder mystery "Lonely Hearts" with John Travolta and the film adaptation of Robert Penn Warren's "All the King's Men." Last year Michael Imperioli appeared in several episodes of "Law & Order," while Edie Falco co-starred in the film "Freedomland." Lorraine Bracco was a guest judge on Bravo's "Top Chef" season finale.
#10 Dan Brown - Author - Pay: $88 million
The critically lambasted film adaptation of "The Da Vinci Code" grossed $77 million domestically on its opening weekend, the second-best opening ever for an adult-oriented film. (It's well on its way to surpassing "The Passion of the Christ" in worldwide box office receipts.) Brown, whose novel has to date sold 61 million copies worldwide, recently won a plagiarism lawsuit brought against him in England. "The Da Vinci Code" supposes a union between Jesus and Mary Magdalene and speculates on the fate of their offspring. According to Hollywood scuttlebutt, Sony is planning to bring Brown's earlier work, "Angels & Demons," to the big screen.
#11 Bruce Springsteen - Musician - Pay: $55 million
Last year's "Devils & Dust" went platinum, selling 625,000 copies to date in the U.S. Critics hailed this year's release, "We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions," on which the Boss covers 13 classics by folk icon Pete Seeger. Springsteen's tour last year grossed over $26 million.
#12 Donald Trump - Personality - Pay: $44 million
The New York real estate tycoon makes a sizable fortune from his other job--hosting NBC's "The Apprentice," which completed its fifth season. In addition to a per-show salary, Trump takes a cut of the show's rich product-placement deals. His trademark swagger has helped crown him one of the highest-paid speakers on the lecture circuit, where he pockets as much as $1 million for a single appearance. Licensing deals for men's suits, cologne and even bottled water also add to the pile. Earlier this year, his model wife Melania gave birth to Trump's fifth child, son Barron.
#13 Muhammad Ali - Athlete - Pay: $55 million
The boxing legend sold the rights to his name and image this year for $50 million to licensing mastermind Robert Sillerman, chief executive of CKX, who adds the champ to his stable of iconic American brands that includes "American Idol" and Elvis Presley. Sillerman dubbed his newly formed company G.O.A.T., a nod to Ali's nickname, Greatest of All Time. The three-time heavyweight champ will retain a 20% interest in the business. Ali's name has generated between $4 million and $7 million annually over the past five years, largely through endorsement deals with companies like Adidas and Electronic Arts.
#14 Paul McCartney - Musician - Pay: $40 million
Though it was nominated for a Grammy, the former Beatle's album "Chaos and Creation in the Backyard" had only modest commercial success internationally. Good thing his North American tour raked in $77 million last year, the fourth-highest-grossing tour last year thanks to fans who shelled out an average $135 per ticket. McCartney made headlines around the world after the recent announcement that he will divorce his second wife, Heather Mills, with whom he has a child. Mills could collect hundreds of millions of his nearly $1 billion fortune.
#15 George Lucas - Director-Producter - Pay: $235 million
"Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith" was the second-highest-grossing film of 2005, earning $849 million worldwide. The 62-year-old director kept a chunk of it, in addition to DVD and merchandising revenue. Add to that residuals from the earlier "Star Wars" franchise, plus cinematic classics like "Indiana Jones." Lucas will executive-produce a fourth installment in the "Jones" series, which is in the works.
#16 Elton John - Musician - Pay: $34 million
The Rocket Man has taken his act to theater, where he rakes it in from his musical involvement in 11 shows worldwide, including eight "Lion King" productions. His newest theater hit, "Billy Elliot," is winning raves on
London's West End. But not all his shows are winners: "Lestat," based on Anne Rice's acclaimed vampire novel, just closed after a handful of performances. The famously flamboyant star also earns $17 million for his standing gig in Vegas.
#17 David Letterman - Talking Head - Pay: $40 million
Although famously low-key off-camera, Letterman is one of late night
television's biggest stars. "Late Night With David Letterman" earned him $40 million this year, more than rival Jay Leno. (Letterman owns a stake in the show.) This year he had Oprah Winfrey as a guest. The two publicly patched up a long-standing rift. And earlier this year he scooped the world when Britney Spears appeared on his program to announce her pregnancy. Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants, is responsible for hit shows like "Everybody Loves Raymond," which just ended its nine-year run.
#18 Phil MIckelson - Athlete - Pay: $47 million
Although famously low-key off-camera, Letterman is one of late night television's biggest stars. "Late Night With David Letterman" earned him $40 million this year, more than rival Jay Leno. (Letterman owns a stake in the show.) This year he had Oprah Winfrey as a guest. The two publicly patched up a long-standing rift. And earlier this year he scooped the world when Britney Spears appeared on his program to announce her pregnancy. Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants, is responsible for hit shows like "Everybody Loves Raymond," which just ended its nine-year run.
#19 J.K. Rowling - Author - Pay: $75 million
One of the few billionaires on our list, J.K. Rowling is preparing to close
the book on her "Harry Potter" series. The next installment, the seventh in the series, is rumored to be her last, although she'll continue to write and will likely explore other parts of the Potter milieu. Worldwide sales of the Potter books have topped 300 million copies worldwide. "The Goblet of Fire" was last year's highest-grossing film, with a worldwide box office take of $892 million.
#20 Brad Pitt - Actor - Pay: $25 million
For an actor who eschews the spotlight, Pitt couldn't avoid it last year. His breakup with Jennifer Aniston and subsequent coupling with Angelina Jolie sent the tabloids into a veritable feeding frenzy. (His daughter by Jolie, named Shiloh, was born in May in Namibia.) But it was his share of the profits from the half-billion-dollar grossing "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" that lined his pockets. While fatherhood should no doubt keep him busy, Pitt plans to film "Ocean's 13" with pal George Clooney.
#21 Peter Jackson - Director-Producer - Pay: $39 million
Had a monster hit with the "King Kong" remake. Even if it didn't do "Lord of the Rings" dollars, the film kept Jackson on top as one of Hollywood's most reliable, and profitable, directors. Next, he goes from blockbuster special effects to family drama with an adaptation of Alice Seybold's "The Lovely Bones."
#22 Dr. Phil McGraw - Talking Head - Pay: $45 million
Oprah Winfrey's tell-it-like-it-is protégé has emerged as a star in his own
right with an ultra-successful syndicated talk show that draws 6.7 million
viewers. He also boasts six best sellers, as well as an endorsement deal with online dating service Match.com. Last year he made a cameo appearance in "Scary Movie 4."
#23 Jay Leno - Talking Head - Pay: $32 million
Although he consistently beats Letterman in the ratings, drawing 5.9 million viewers to Letterman's 4.4 million, Leno still earns less. (Letterman owns a piece of his show.) The classic car buff supplemented his income last year with voice roles in the animated features "Ice Age 2" and "Cars."
#24 Celine Dion - Musician - Pay: $40 Million
The Canadian chanteuse's exclusive run at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas has been extended into 2007, thanks to its continued popularity. In 2005, she has the third-highest-grossing "tour," earning $81 million in ticket sales for 155 gigs, according to Pollstar. Fans shelled out on average $136 per ticket to hear her. Only Barry Manilow fans paid more.
#25 Kobe Bryant - Athlete - Pay: $31 million
With his past legal troubles finally laid to rest, Bryant has devoted himself
to his sport. His 81 points for the Los Angeles Lakers in a January game
gainst Toronto were the second highest in NBA history. Bryant led his team to the playoffs despite a less-than-stellar supporting cast. Nike released a Bryant signature shoe that sold well and added several million to his $10 million Nike base pay. He also announced plans to switch his jersey number from 8 to 24.
#26 Michael Jordan - Athlete - Pay: $ 32 million
MJ's endorsements have been pared down to a handful, including Gatorade, Sara Lee and Upper Deck. The bulk of his income, though, still comes from the Swoosh. Nike's Jordan brand is a $500 million business (sales) and finished the year with record profits and sales. In addition to the legendary basketball star, Nike employs an elite list of athletes to market the Jordan brand, including Ray Allen, Carmelo Anthony and Derek Jeter. Jordan's latest book, "Driven From Within," has sold 111,000 copies since its fall release, according to Nielsen BookScan.
#27 Johnny Depp - Actor - Pay: $29 million
He wowed audiences worldwide with his quirky, if somewhat creepy, portrayal of Willy Wonka in "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," which grossed almost $500 million worldwide. The one-time indie film prince has emerged as one of Hollywood's biggest draws and is set to star in this summer's highly anticipated sequel to "Pirates of the Caribbean."
#28 Jerry Seinfeld - Comedian - Pay: $100 million
His hit series about nothing just entered its third round in syndication. While most old hits lose steam over the years, "Seinfeld," which went off the air eight years ago, still generates substantial ad revenue for cable. In addition to a piece of syndication, Seinfeld also pockets a cut of the show's DVD sales. Seinfeld was plenty busy this year--not that there's anything wrong with that. He wrote, produced and stars in a DreamWorks animated film "Bee Movie," set for release next year. And, of course, he periodically returns to the stage to ply his original craft, stand-up comedy.
#29 Simon Cowell - Personality - Pay: $43 million
The snarky judge on TV's top-rated show, "American Idol," reportedly makes $36 million a year thanks to the rich contract renewal he inked this year. He is also the brain trust behind three other reality shows, including NBC's upcoming "America's Got Talent." Cowell frequently sells his show concepts abroad, and recently re-upped his contract for the U.K. hit show "X Factor." His Syco music label is responsible for such blockbuster acts as Il Divo.
#30 MIchael Schumacher - Athlete - Pay: $58 million
After five straight World Championships (seven in total), Schumacher came back to earth last year, finishing third in the year-end standings. After winning 12 races the previous year, Schumi reached the top of the podium only once in 2005. Much of the blame went to inferior Bridgestone tires. Schumacher remains the highest-paid racer in Formula One, with a nearly $40 million salary from team owner Ferrari.
#31 Tom Hanks - Actor - Pay: $29 million
The 51-year-old actor earned a huge payday last year for his starring role in the "The Da Vinci Code," the film adaptation of Dan Brown's best seller. Though the film was critically panned, it raked in $224 million at box offices worldwide over its opening weekend, crowning it the second-largest debut in cinematic history. (It was the biggest international opening ever.) Next up: Hanks plays a scandal-plagued congressman in "Charlie Wilson's War," rumored to co-star Julia Roberts in her return to the big screen.
#32 Rush Limbaugh - Talking Head - Pay: $30 million
Despite settling allegations of prescription drug fraud in April 2005, the
conservative talkmeister remains one of talk radio's biggest draws. His syndicated show, heard by as many as 20 million listeners per week, can be heard daily on 600 radio stations nationally.
#33 Denzel Washington - Actor - Pay: $38 million
One of Hollywood's highest paid and bankable actors, he is the only actor on the list to have been paid twice for the same movie. In 2004 Washington was paid to appear in "American Gangster," but the project was scrapped before filming began. As part of a pay-or-play agreement, Washington kept the cash. The project was recently revived, and Washington was paid again to play the role of a Harlem drug lord. Last year he scored big with Spike Lee's well-received heist flick "Inside Man" and pocketed a big paycheck for the upcoming movie "Deja Vu."
#34 Cast of Desperate Housewives - Actors - Pay: $14 million
ABC's Sunday night anchor suffered a major ratings hit in its sophomore year. That didn't hamper the ladies of Wisteria Lane from snagging handsome new contracts, guaranteeing the stars an estimated $440,000 per episode. Felicity Huffman increased her artistic cred in acclaimed indie film "Transamerica," for which she received an Oscar nomination, while cast mate Eva Longoria opted for a small role in the big-budget turkey "The Sentinel."
#35 Jennifer Aniston - Actor - $18 million
Aniston made more headlines than money last year after she and husband Brad Pitt split in the biggest Hollywood breakup of the decade. (Pitt went on to father a child with co-star Angelina Jolie.) Films like "Derailed" and "Rumor Has It" fell flat, but Aniston came back big with the romantic comedy "The Breakup," staring her alleged boyfriend Vince Vaughn. And she still has plenty of "Friends" syndication money to fall back on.
#36 Angelina Jolie - Actor - Pay: $14 million
Jolie had one of the hottest years on record. Not only did she appear weekly in the tabloids because of her relationship with Brad Pitt, new baby and exploits in Africa, but she helped bring in big bucks for "Mr. & Mrs. Smith." Her landmark deal with St. John's earned her a piece of the fashion company in exchange for endorsing the line. Next, the mother of three will play Grendel's mother in an animated version of "Beowulf."
#37 The Olsen Twins - Actors - Pay: $40 million
Petite hipster sisters Mary-Kate and Ashley earn the bulk of their income from their $1 billion (sales) retail empire, Dualstar, which pumps out
tween-oriented merchandise. (Wal-Mart Stores is a huge customer.) The twins displayed a decidedly sexier side this year when they appeared in print ads for designer Badgley Mischka--as sure a sign as any that their relevance to the tween market may be fading. It's no wonder that Dualstar recently started marketing brands from other teen stars, like tow-heads Dylan and Cole Sprouse from the Disney Channel's "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody."
#38 Nicole Kidman - Actor - Pay $22 million
She's still one of Hollywood's leading ladies despite disappointing showings for "The Interpreter" and "Bewitched" last year. Stayed glamorous with her Chanel ad campaign. Next year Kidman returns to the kind of prestige pictures that won her an Oscar--she'll play photographer Diane Arbus in "Fur."
#39 The Eagles - Musicians - Pay: $70 million
The baby boomer rockers grossed $77 million in North American ticket sales last year. DVDs of their concerts are hot sellers, despite average ticket prices that top $100. "Farewell I Tour - Live From Melbourne," a DVD the band released last year, has been certified platinum thirteen times over by the Recording Industry Association of America.
#40 Rod Stewart - Musician - Pay: $30 million
At 61, Stewart is as hot as ever. His "Great American Songbook: Volume IV," a collection of standards, sold 3 million copies in 2005. Stewart also sold $50 million worth of tickets on his From Maggie May to the Great American Songbook tour. He also made an appearance on this year's "American Idol" and fathered his sixth child, Alastair Wallace, with former model Penny Lancaster.
#41 Shaquille O'Neal - Athlete - Pay: $30 million
Shaq signed a new five-year, $100 million contract last year with the Miami Heat, which represented a 28% pay cut. Even so, he remains the NBA's highest-paid player. Shaq and his size 23 feet endorse a line of Nike sneakers that retail for less than $40, while his b-ball counterparts pitch $100-plus shoes. His sales this year are expected to hit 11 million units, a figure likely to explode when the line becomes available next year in China.
#42 Jerry Brtuckheimer - Director-Producer - Pay: $84 million
The television and movie producer is set to release the much-anticipated
sequel to "Pirates of the Caribbean" this summer. (He filmed the second and third installations back to back, securing $5 million advances for each, with a guaranteed cut of back-end profits.) But Bruckheimer's big bucks come from syndication of his hit forensics drama "CSI" and its spinoffs, which earn him some of the highest fees for a syndicated show on cable TV.
#43 David Beckham - Athlete - Pay: $27 million
Despite losing Vodafone as a sponsor last year, England's captain remains soccer's most valuable pitchman, thanks to rich deals with the likes of Adidas and Gillette. He also helps his Real Madrid team generate more revenue than any other team in soccer. Beckham is preparing for his post-soccer career by opening soccer academies in both London and Los Angeles.
#44 Jessica Simpson - Personality - Pay: $14 million
The tabloid siren couldn't hide from the paparazzi, which followed her every leggy step during her rocky marriage, rumored flings and impending divorce from pop star Nick Lachey. As a result, she was one of last year's most frequent tabloid cover girls. Last year Simpson sold the rights to her name to the Tarrant Apparel Group for $10 million. Tarrant later sued the singer starlet for breach of contract, claiming she did nothing to support the Jessica Simpson brand. (The suit is ongoing.) The 26-year-old appeared in last year's box office dud "The Dukes of Hazzard" and will hit the big screen next in the comedy "Employee of the Month."
#45 Andrew Lloyd Webber - Showman - Pay: $56 million
The theater legend has expanded his empire by taking his vast musical-theater portfolio global. Webber boasts 22 shows touring worldwide, with his stage classics appearing in locations like Tokyo, Warsaw and São Paulo. Perhaps his most famous, "The Phantom of the Opera," is now the longest-running show in Broadway history, topping "Cats," which he owns, too. There are nine productions of "Phantom" currently running worldwide, six productions of "Cats" and two productions of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat." Last year Webber purchased seven theaters, making him a major property owner in the U.K.
#46 LeBron James - Athlete - Pay: $26 million
James, 21, led the Cleveland Cavaliers to the playoffs for the team's first time in eight years. He finished second in the MVP balloting. Lebron-mania hit a peak this spring when the Cavs, on the back of King James, came within a game of knocking the powerhouse Pistons out of the playoffs. To commemorate James' first playoff appearance, chief sponsor Nike had T-shirts emblazoned with the brand's iconic swoosh and the word "Witness." The $20 shirts sold for more than $100 on eBay during the Pistons series. His Cavs contract expires next year, and speculation is rampant over whether he'll resign--league rules prohibit the Cavs from offering an extension until July--or move to a bigger market. Look for James to pad his wallet with a blockbuster endorsement deal with a yet-to-be-named technology company in the near future.
#47 Neil Diamond - Musician - Pay: $35 million
The 65-year-old crooner made a remarkable comeback last year when he paired with producer Rick Rubin--better known for cultivating hits for the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Metallica--to produce "12 Songs," which sold 514,000 copies in the U.S. to date. According to the Recording Industry Association of America, Diamond has sold 48 million albums in the U.S. over the course of his career. Diamond's tour was one of the highest grossing last year, trouncing more contemporary acts like Green Day and Coldplay.
#48 Alex Rodriguez - Athlete - Pay: $29 million
A year of historic firsts for A-Rod. On top of his $25 million salary, he
pocketed a $1 million bonus for winning his second Most Valuable Player award last year. Last year, at 29, he became the youngest player in Major League history to hit his 400th home run. He also set a Yankee record for the most home runs in a season by a right-handed hitter. The certain first-ballot Hall of Famer has endorsement deals with Nike, PepsiCo and Topps.
#49 Will Smith - Actor - Pay: $25 million
One of Hollywood's most bankable stars. He lined his pockets last year with a share of profits from DVD sales of his hit movie "Hitch." Smith also had a big payday for the upcoming movie "The Pursuit of Happyness," which co-stars his son Jaden.
#50 Dick Wolf - Director-Producer - Pay: $70 million
Brain trust behind "Law & Order," the longest-running dramatic series on
television. NBC relies on "L&O" and its spinoffs for at least eight hours of prime-time television programming per week. And on any given night, channel surfers can likely find reruns of the franchise on TNT, Bravo or USA. But are viewers overdosing on the hit crime series? Wolf's most recent spinoffs, "Trial by Jury" and "Conviction," were both yanked after one season.
#51 Dave Matthews Band - Musicians - Pay: $30 million
Last year's release of "Stand Up," the band's eighth studio album, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard charts before going on to sell 1.4 million copies in the U.S. Longtime fan Julia Roberts appeared in the video for "Dreamgirl." DMB's tour was among the highest grossing last year. (The band donated $1 million it earned on the road last year to Hurricane Katrina victims.) Through its Web site, called the Warehouse, DMB has cultivated a loyal fan base that gets early access to concert tickets and is permitted to record live shows.
#52 Tom Brady - Athlete - Pay: $29 million
The NFL's golden boy cashed in last year when he signed a new contract that paid $26.5 million in bonuses during its first year. Brady soared from sixth-round draft choice to become the first quarterback in NFL history to win three Super Bowls before his 28th birthday. His unprecedented streak of playoff victories finally ended at ten this year when the Patriots fell to the Denver Broncos. Brady turns down many more endorsement deals than he accepts, but still finds time to pitch for Nike, Sirius and Visa.
#53 Ronaldinho - Athlete - Pay: $26 million
The soccer legend captured his second straight FIFA Player of the Year award last season. He stars in an eye-popping Nike ad that has the "futbol" genius masterfully handling the soccer ball as though he were born with it. Fans buzzed all over the Internet debating the ad's veracity, before Nike fessed up that the spot's soccer ball trickery was digitally altered. No matter, since the spot had already been viewed online 12 million times since its fall release. Nike, along with fellow sponsors PepsiCo and Lenovo, are banking on Ronaldinho's emerging a bona fide star from this year's World Cup as he leads Brazil in its attempts to capture a sixth title.
#54 Jodie Foster - Actor - Pay: $27 million
Last year's highest-earning actress in Hollywood is also the oldest of those appearing on the Forbes Celebrity 100. Foster, 44, banked big coin thanks to the stellar box office performances of "Flightplan" and "Inside Man." She'll appear next in another thriller, "The Brave One," in which she plays a woman dealing with a brutal attack.
#55 Ray Romano - Comedian - Pay: $34 million
Go figure, but everybody still loves Raymond. A year after ending its
nine-season run, Romano's sitcom is a top earner in syndication dollars, yielding him $30 million last year. He pocketed another $2 million for the
sequel to Fox's animated flick "Ice Age," which made $600 million at the box office worldwide. Though he's not officially touring, he has reclaimed his standing as a stand-up comic thanks to ultra-lucrative gigs in Las Vegas and a handful of private appearances.
#56 Paris Hilton - Personality - Pay: $7 million
The celebutante has amassed her personal fortune mainly through licensing deals. Her name is attached to a perfume, watches, nightclubs and a new videogame. The "That's hot!" heiress is a master of the photo opportunity, grabbing countless press mentions thanks to a slew of high-profile flings, fallings-out (most recently with Lindsay Lohan) and fashion hits and misses. She boasts the most Web hits of anyone else on the Forbes Celebrity 100, although she's also the only lister with her own highly publicized (and downloadable) porn tape. Stay tuned for the upcoming album release and two film appearances.
#57 Adam Sandler - Actor - Pay: $29 million
One of Hollywood's highest paid funnymen, he earned a huge payday for the soon-to-be-released "Click," about a man who uses a remote control to fast-forward and pause his life. He settled for a much smaller paycheck for the upcoming drama "Empty City," about a man who loses his family in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. The press-shy actor generated headlines this year with the birth of his first child.
#58 Derek Jeter- Athlele - Pay: $27 million
The Yankee captain is baseball's second-highest-paid endorser. (Japan's Ichiro Suzuki is first, thanks to cash earned in Asia.) His portfolio of deals includes Nike, Ford, Gatorade and a memorabilia contract with Steiner Sports. But it's Jeter's baseball contract that pays the bills. He is in the sixth year of a ten-year, $189 million contract that nets him $21 million this year.
#59 Jennifer Lopez - Actor - Pay: $10 million
Few in Hollywood work as relentlessly as J.Lo. Though her fourth album,
"Rebirth," was released last year to flat reviews and mediocre sales, she is in the studio again, working on a follow-up album. She also found time to film the low-budget "Bordertown" and appear in "El Cantate," a biopic of Puerto Rican musician Hector Lavoe starring hubby Marc Anthony. Lopez also rakes it in from fragrances--she boasts five of the most popular on the market--a fashion line, a Cuban restaurant and a recently announced reality show on MTV.
#60 Rick Warren - Author - Pay: $25 million
When religious publisher Zondervan released California pastor Rick Warren's "The Purpose Driven Life," it expected robust sales of about a quarter-million copies. There are now 24 million copies in print, with Zondervan unloading 100,000 copies over the Christmas season alone. And the book achieved mainstream notoriety in 2005 when kidnap victim Ashley Smith said that she used its techniques to persuade her captor to release her. Warren also runs the Web site Pastors.com, where he peddles "Purpose Driven" spinoffs.
#61 Scarlett Johansson - Actor - Pay: $16 million
Though she commands the lowest fee of any of the actresses on the Celebrity 100, Johansson has been filming a string of movies, back to back, earning the 22-year-old starlet a spot on the list. She is currently filming "The Nanny Diaries" in New York City. This year she inked a lucrative two-year endorsement deal with L'Oréal. She made a splash when she appeared nude on the cover of February's Vanity Fair with former designer Tom Ford and "Pirates of the Caribbean" actress Keira Knightley.
#62 Katie Couric - Talking Head - Pay: $15 million
Her highly publicized decision to leave "Today" for the "CBS Evening News" anchor seat caused a media frenzy this year. She'll take a pay cut for her new position, where she will make history as the first woman to ever anchor the evening news solo. Her new contract also makes her a contributor to "60 Minutes" and anchor for CBS News prime-time specials. Media insiders are placing their bets as to whether America's sweetheart can convert her 6 million morning viewers to evening news fans.
#63 Maria Sharapova - Athlete - Pay: $19 million
In August, Sharapova became the first female Russian to top the pro female tennis ranks. Injuries have hampered the 6-foot-2 beauty since then, but she's still the highest-paid female athlete in the world thanks to a bevy of endorsement deals from the likes of Nike, Colgate-Palmolive, Canon and Motorola, among others. This year she signed a three-year deal with Land Rover.
#64 Valentino Rossi - Athlete - Pay: $30 million
Who knew riding a motorcycle could be so profitable? Rossi won his fifth
straight MotoGP World Championship last year riding for Yamaha. After
accomplishing everything there is to do in the moto world, speculation ran rampant that he would race for Ferrari as part of Formula One once his Yamaha contract expired at the end of 2006. But Rossi and Yamaha put those tantalizing rumors to rest recently when they extended their partnership into 2007.
#65 Halle Berry - Actor - Pay: $16 million
Despite a roster of box office flops, including "Gothika" and "Catwoman,"
Berry still commands an impressive paycheck. She currently appears as the mutant Storm in "X-Men: The Last Stand," which posted the fourth-best opening weekend ever. Last year she earned Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for the Oprah Winfrey-produced TV movie "Their Eyes Were Watching God." She is a longtime spokesmodel for Revlon and is slated to appear in upcoming Versace ads. Next up: the cyberthriller "Perfect Stranger," opposite Bruce Willis.
#66 James Patterson - Author - Pay: $28 million
With 100 million books in print, the Patterson machine keeps churning out at least two titles a year. The Patterson library--his last 16 books have been No. 1 best sellers--has grossed more than $1 billion. Several of the titles have been adapted for film, including "Along Came a Spider" and "Kiss the Girls," with several more already optioned.
#67 Leonardo DiCaprio - Actor - Pay: $25 million
Although DiCaprio hasn't appeared on the big screen since 2004's "The
Aviator," he earned sizable paychecks this year for his role in his third
Martin Scorsese flick, "The Departed," in addition to "The Blood Diamond," currently filming in South Africa and Mozambique.
#68 Kiefer Sutherland - Actor - Pay $23 million
He debuts on the Forbes Celebrity 100 thanks to the stunning popularity of his Fox TV drama, "24," in which he plays federal agent Jack Bauer. In April he reportedly scored $40 million for three more seasons of the top-rated show, making him one of television's highest-paid actors. He currently appears opposite Desperate Housewife Eva Longoria in "The Sentinel."
#69 Jim Carrey - Actor - Pay: $20 million
Despite a pair of box-office disappointments ("Lemony Snicket" and "Fun With Dick and Jane"), Carrey is still Hollywood's $20 million man. He just makes this year's Celebrity 100 list thanks to his advance paycheck for the upcoming "The Number 23," a mystery thriller directed by Joel Schumacher.
#70 Cameron Diaz - Actor - Pay: $15 million
Following a brutal year at the box office, Diaz saw her paycheck for the
upcoming film "The Holiday" get scaled back. Last year she voiced the Princess Fiona role for the third sequel to the blockbuster "Shrek" franchise. The press-loathing screen queen, who appears in the MTV serial "Trippin' " along with pal Drew Barrymore, continues to date pop prince Justin Timberlake.
#71 Gisele Bundchen - Model - Pay: $30 million
The Victoria's Secret bombshell is the highest-paid model in the world. She's
also a workhorse with 20 fashion contracts, including Ebel watches, Vogue Eyewear and Dolce & Gabbana. That's far more than any other model anywhere in the world. Her assets earned her more last year that many of the highest-paid actors on the Forbes Celebrity 100.
#72 Renee Zellweger - Actor - Pay: $21 million
Co-starred opposite Russell Crowe in last year's "Cinderella Man," a box
office disappointment. Caused a media frenzy with her surprise wedding and quickie divorce from country crooner Kenny Chesney. She's currently filming "Miss Potter," portraying beloved children's author Beatrix Potter, and will star in the upcoming horror flick "The Eye."
#73 Carson Palmer - Athlete - Pay: $28 million
The Cincinnati Bengals quarterback led his perennially hapless team to the playoffs last year for the first time in 15 years. The reward for his stellar play was a nine-year, $119 million contract signed in December that included $24 million in bonuses. The former No. 1 overall pick in the 2003 NFL draft led the league with 32 touchdowns last year, but is now recovering from a devastating knee injury suffered during last season's playoffs. Memorabilia sales, in addition to deals with Nike, Huntington Bank and Cincinnati Bell, add as much as $1 million annually to his income.
#74 Michelle Wie - Athlete - Pay: $17 million
The youngest member of the Forbes Celebrity 100 turned pro in October, turning 16 only days later. Wie left the amateur ranks armed with at least $10 million in annual endorsement deals from Nike and Sony. She inked more deals this year from the likes of watchmaker Omega and Korean real estate firm Shin Young, among others. Wie's dream of competing in the men-only Masters ended this year after failing to place at the U.S. Open section qualifier in June.
#75 Reese Witherspoon - Actor - Pay: $9 million
Snagged the Oscar for Best Actress for her portrayal of June Carter Cash in last year's "Walk the Line." Hollywood scuttlebutt has her replacing Julia Roberts as the highest-paid actress in Hollywood, with fees for upcoming pictures exceeding $20 million. That has yet to be seen. She'll next star in the dramatic thriller "The Reckoning" and has a supporting role in "Penelope," starring Christina Ricci.
#76 Bill O'Reilly - Talking Head - Pay: $9 million
Fox News' bombastic vox populi makes much more than the average-Joe viewers of "The O'Reilly Factor," last year's top-rated cable news program. In addition to his Fox salary, O'Reilly hosts a syndicated radio program and regularly hits the lecture circuit, charging a reported $50,000 per speaking engagement. Author of four best sellers, he also penned "The O'Reilly Factor for Kids," last year's best-selling nonfiction children's book.
#77 Kate Moss - Model - Pay: $8 million
A drug scandal just isn't what it used to be. After a British tabloid ran
photos of the supermodel snorting cocaine with then boyfriend Pete Doherty, she lost millions of dollars' worth of contracts. But after a stint in rehab in Phoenix, Moss rebounded, restoring spokesmodel deals with Burberry and Christian Dior and inking deals with others. She rounds out the year making more money this year than last.
#78 Diane Sawyer - Talking Head - Pay: $12 million
The most prominent anchor on "Good Morning America" was a busy woman this year, occasionally pinch-hitting on ABC's "World News Tonight" when co-anchor Bob Woodruff sustained injuries while on assignment in Iraq. She was reportedly vying for a permanent spot on "World News Tonight," which was ultimately awarded to her co-host Charles Gibson. Sawyer helped close the ratings gap with perennial a.m. rival "Today," co-hosted by Katie Couric. Despite her grueling hours, Sawyer, along with director husband Mike Nichols (who ranks at No. 98 on the Forbes Celebrity 100), is a regular on the New York social scene.
#79 Sean (Diddy) Combs - Personality - Pay: $16 million
The hip-hop impresario sold his Bad Boy Records to Warner Music Group last summer, although he still presides over the label. His empire includes the Sean John clothing line, a popular fragrance, a restaurant chain called Justin's (named after his son) and the MTV series "Making the Band." He continues to be a prominent fixture in the New York nightlife scene.
#80 John Grisham - Author - Pay: $21 million
The best-selling author of the '90s returns to the list this year after his
latest legal thriller, "The Broker," sold 1.8 million copies in the U.S. "The
Innocent Man," his 19th book slated for release later this year, is the
author's first foray into nonfiction. The book tells the story of Ronald
Williamson, who was wrongly imprisoned for rape and murder before being exonerated five days before his execution.
#81 Rachael Ray - Chef - Pay: $6 millin
Perky quick-meal queen stars in four Food Network shows, including her
signature "30-Minute Meals." Cookbooks, including the recent "Express Lane Meals" and "365: No Repeats," are best sellers this year. Ray also appears on the cover of her own bimonthly lifestyle magazine, Every Day With Rachael Ray. Next up: a talk show to debut this fall, co-produced by Oprah Winfrey's Harpo Productions.
#82 Dave Chappelle - Comedian - Pay: $22 million
Made worldwide headlines last year when he walked out on a monumental $50 million, two-year contract from Comedy Central in the midst of taping the third season of "Chappelle's Show." Fled to South Africa before returning stateside to refute allegations of drug abuse and mental breakdown. The cable network has announced plans to run several episodes salvaged from material already taped, but doing so, Chappelle's handlers say, could be a deal breaker for further collaborations. Still, Chappelle reaps a percentage from the sales of 3.5 million copies of Season Two DVDs, in addition to box office returns of
his low-budget concert film, "Dave Chappelle's Block Party."
#83 Larry the Cable Guy - Comedian - Pay: $19 million
The blue-collar, red-state funny man (real name: Dan Whitney) exploded last year from the successful Blue Collar Comedy group, spawned by red-neck comic pioneer Jeff Foxworthy. Larry the Cable guy, renowned for his catchphrase "Git-R-Done," tours relentlessly, grossing $18.8 million on the road last year, more than any other stand-up comic. Listen for him as the voice of Mater in Pixar's new animated feature, "Cars."
#84 Tyra Banks - Model - Pay: $18 million
The former supermodel said goodbye to her lucrative Victoria's Secret contract in December 2005 to concentrate on her two television ventures, the hit CW (formerly UPN) series "America's Next Top Model" and her fledgling daytime talk show, both of which she produces and hosts.
#85 George Lopez - Comedian- Pay: $12 million
His eponymous ABC sitcom passed the 100-episode mark this year and has been picked up for a sixth season. As co-creator, co-producer and star, he'll collect big bucks next year once the series goes into syndication. (So will co-producer Sandra Bullock.) Though he underwent transplant surgery last April--he received a kidney from wife Ann--the stand-up comic still made time to hit the road, grossing $8 million from those gigs.
#86 Regis Philbin - Talking Head - Pay: $21 million
The co-host of "Live With Regis and Kelly" recently signed on to host NBC's "America's Got Talent," produced by Simon Cowell of "American Idol." That should firmly establish his place in the "Guinness Book of World Records," where he already claims a spot for his more than 15,000 hours on national television, more than anyone in the industry. And he can sing, too! Last year he released a Christmas album featuring a guest vocal from pal Donald Trump. (It's unclear who to blame for the measly 114,000 copies sold.)
#87 SErena Williams - Athlete - Pay: $10 million
Injuries have limited the younger Williams sister to only three tournament matches in 2006. She's kept busy with other interests, including appearances on television's "ER" and "The Bernie Mac Show." Last year Williams co-starred with sister Venus in ABC Family's reality show "Venus and Serena: For Real." While she has barely played over the past year, Williams still makes a healthy living through sponsorship deals with Nike, Wilson and McDonald's. Last year, Estée Lauder signed her to develop a new line for its Flirt line of cosmetics.
#88 Ryan Seacrest - Personality - Pay: $12 million
Heir to Dick Clark's throne. Seacrest appears in at least 19 million homes
twice a week as the affable host of America's favorite TV show, "American Idol." He recently inked a $21 million, three-year contract to host E! news and the entertainment channel's red carpet pre-award show coverage. Seacrest
also gets paychecks from a syndicated radio show, a Los Angeles morning radio show, co-ownership of eight restaurants and a clothing line. And in a move that secures his place in television history, he is slated to replace the iconic Dick Clark as host of ABC's annual New Year's Eve special.
#89 Wolfgang Puck - Chef - Pay: $16 million
The original celebrity chef oversees a vast empire that spans high-end
restaurants, like the famed Spago in Beverly Hills, all the way down to
Wolfgang Puck Gourmet Express kiosks at airports across the country. Puck, the highest-earning chef on the Celebrity 100, boasts his own line of soups, coffees and cookware and operates his own catering business. Last year he made appearances on NBC's "Celebrity Cooking Showdown" and "Las Vegas."
#90 Venus Williams - Athlete - Pay: $7 million
The former top-ranked player in the world had a resurgence last year when she won Wimbledon, her first Grand Slam title in four years. Ranked 16th at the time of the win, she was the lowest-ranked women's player to win the title at the All England Club. Her nearly three-hour finals win against top-ranked Lindsay Davenport was the longest women's final in the event's history. Injuries have kept Williams off the court for much of 2006, but she retains valuable endorsement deals with American Express, McDonald's and Wilson.
#91 Annika Sorenstam - Athlete - Pay: $8 million
While the young stars on the LPGA grab the headlines, 36-year-old Sorenstam remains the most consistent player. Last year she won her eighth Rolex Player of the Year award, and her prize money topped $2 million for the fifth straight year. (No other female player has ever reached $2 million.) Over her career, Sorenstam's $19 million in on-course earnings are 60% more than any other female golfer has made. Last year, Sorenstam re-upped her endorsement deal with clubmaker Callaway through 2010.
#92 Matthew Broderick/Nathan Lane - Actors - Pay: $9 million
The acting duo have earned a place in stage history on par with Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. They packed houses this year at the revival of "The Odd Couple," where they continued the Mutt & Jeff routine they perfected in "The Producers." Broderick and Lane are among Broadway's most powerful and well-compensated talent, each earning a reported $100,000 per week. Their combined star power on theater marquees is enough to virtually guarantee a box office bonanza.
#93 Mel Brooks - Director-Producer - Pay: $5 million
The film and theater legend has had a great run with "The Producers," winner of the most Tony awards for a Broadway show in history. Last year the show earned $40 million, and as co-producer/book writer/music writer and lyricist, Brooks pockets millions from it. The recent film version of "The Producers," however, was a commercial disappointment. In April Brooks released Mel Brooks Boxset, featuring such cinematic classis as "Blazing Saddles" and "Young Frankenstein."
#94 Emeril Lagasse - Chef - Pay: $10 million
The "BAM!" man is still a top draw for the Food Network, where "Emeril Live" is one of its highest-rated programs. He kicked it up a notch this year with a new deal to hawk his trademark Emerilware cookware on the "Shop at Home" Network. Hurricane Katrina hit the New Orleans-based chef hard this year. Two of his restaurants there were closed for three months following the storm; one won't reopen until the fall of 2006. At an event last fall sponsored by his Emeril Lagasse Foundation, he raised $1.2 million for the city's children affected by the hurricane.
#95 Nicole Richie - Personality - Pay: $2 million
The newly svelte party girl was a tabloid favorite this year, thanks to her
protracted feud with former best pal Paris Hilton, her on-and-off again
relationship with fiancee DJ AM and rumors of an eating disorder. The media exposure helped land her on the Forbes Celebrity 100, despite skimpy earnings last year. The daughter of pop crooner Lionel Richie and goddaughter of Michael Jackson pocketed $2.5 million from a spokesmodel deal with high-end shoemaker Jimmy Choo and the novel "The Truth About Diamonds." But Richie's star is on the rise: She recently inked a TV development deal with Fox and has a pop album in the works, although no release date has been set.
#96 Heidi Klum - Model - Pay: $7 million
The former Sports Illustrated swimsuit model currently hosts Bravo's top-rated reality show, "Project Runway." She earned headlines last year for her marriage to pop star Seal, followed by the birth of her second child last fall. Just eight weeks after the birth, she strutted her well-toned body down the Victoria's Secret catwalk. That dedication--or, more likely, her eye-popping figure--earned her a rich contract renewal with the lingerie giant.
#97 Mario Batali - Chef - Pay: $5 million
One of New York's most acclaimed chefs owns and operates seven upscale restaurants there, including the recently opened Del Posto. Batali demonstrated his culinary range with his newly released cookbook, "Mario Tailgates NASCAR Style." He continues to battle it out on Food Network's "Iron Chef America," in addition to hosting two other popular programs on the network. His signature line of cookware includes an assortment of orange spatulas to match his trademark orange clogs. Coming up: the expansion of his restaurant empire to Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
#98 Eric Idle/Mike NIchols - Directors-Producers - Pay: $9 million
Broadway's newest dynamic duo. Idle penned the book and lyrics for "Monty Python's Spamalot," the 2005 Tony winner for Best Musical. Nichols, the Oscar-winning director of "The Graduate," directed. (He is married to Diane Sawyer, who also appears on this year's Forbes Celebrity 100.) "Spamalot" has earned an incredible $55 million on Broadway. It should rake in millions more thanks to a newly minted touring company appearing in Boston, Chicago and Washington, D.C. Next year the show will replace the failed production of "Avenue Q" at Wynn Las Vegas.
#99 adriana Lima - Model - Pay: $4 million
The 25-year-old Brazilian model boasts three significant long-term
contracts--Victoria's Secret, Maybelline and Telecom Italia Mobile, Italy's
mega-cellphone carrier. The former girlfriend of rocker Lenny Kravitz is now reportedly dating Prince Wence of Lichtenstein, heir to a royal fortune Forbes estimates at $4 billion.
#100 Ty Pennington - Personality - Pay: $6 million
The former carpenter is host of ABC's popular "Extreme Makover: Home Edition," a gig he parlayed into an endorsement deal with Sears. (An April study by the NPD Group found that the home improvement guru boasts the highest "purchase influence" of all the celebrities it surveyed.) Pennington, the former host of the Learning Channel's "Trading Spaces," is also pitchman for attention deficit medication Adderall, as well as Alltel cellphone service. He also broadcasts lifestyle and gardening tips on Clear Channel Radio. Next up: a follow-up to his successful 2003 home improvement book, "Ty's Tricks."
* * * * * *
Addendum concerning Paul McCartney:
----- Original Message -----
From: Uwe Winkelkötter
To: bellringer@fourwinds10.com
Sent: Saturday, June 24, 2006 12:51 PM
Subject: Top 100 Celebrities and their pay
Dear Patrick !
At first let me thank you and your wife again for your constant work for the light !
On "Fourwinds" today was a message with "Top 100 Celebrities and their pay".
Included was also the so called ex-Beatle "Paul McCartney". I don't know if you also found out, that Paul McCartney was really killed in September 1966 and was replaced by one William Shepherd who is the fake-McCartney until today.
When you already know this you don't have to read any further, if not - this could be interesting. The real story of the Beatles is the following:
"'' Sunday 11th September 1966, Evening
Brian and Paul were returning from their trip in good spirits.
It had been a wonderful time.
After John's notorious phrase which had instigated the storm in the world against the Beatles and the turmoil over the "butcher album" cover, everything seemed to have returned back to a normal routine.
And Paul had had a sudden burst of extraordinary creativity over a very short period of time, perhaps as a reaction to all that had happened.
It had been a typically seasonal rainy day.
At a semaphore stop a van suddenly cut across the street, blocking the car Brian and Paul were in.
The car didn't quite stop in time and hit the van, but not seriously enough to do any real damage.
They expected to discuss what had happened with the occupants of the other vehicle but instead men dressed in black appeared from the van and grabbed Brian, Paul and one of the girls who happened to be with them at the time and forced them into another car that had turned up in the meantime.
The second girl who was with them, however, had the presence of mind to run away.
The morning afterwards, not knowing what had happened, we tried to call Brian and Paul but strangely we couldn't get hold of them.
We retraced their steps through our common friends but nobody had seen or heard from them.
We were on the telephone all day.
And then the next day the police phoned to tell us that they had a girl with them confirming that Brian and Paul had been kidnapped.
Ringo was the first one to arrive where the kidnapping had taken place; the vehicles were empty.
The girl told us what had happened.
We began to panic.
John became hysterical and we didn't know what to think or what to do.
But we were able to suppress the story from the Wednesday newspapers thanks to some acquaintances of ours.
We had directly contacted the intelligence service who understood the gravity of the situation and the social ramifications if word got out.
They told us that they would take care of everything.
All we had to do was to continue our daily routine and keep all our previously appointed business engagements.
We waited for the kidnappers to contact us, a ransom demand of some sort.
Time passed and nothing happened.
As more days passed, our apprehension grew.
It was the Tuesday of the following week when we received the call, but not the one we had been waiting for.
We were called out in order to identify Paul's body.
At the time John was in Paris and George was in India. They immediately returned home.
Paul was found at the foot of a hill, a little distance from a white Volkswagen.
He was in a ghastly state.
He had been dead for a while and beasts had begun to eat at him;
his lips looked as if they had been torn by some animal, the left side of his face had also been torn to pieces and the whole of his right ear had been bitten off.
Those wretches had tried to burn him to eliminate the evidence but only the legs had managed to be burnt before the rain had extinguished the fire.
When we arrived there was a line of police officers blocking us while a crowd of men in shirts were retrieving material for further investigation.
They were so oblivious to the grief we felt that one of them had the audacity to exclaim right in front of the Paul's dead body:
" Look ...it seems like a walrus!"
Well, with his teeth hanging outside of his eaten-up lips and with a shiny swollen ear and dripping wet he really did look like a walrus.
John confronted the man who had spoken so insensitively and they began to brawl.
He had to be pulled away as he howled:
"I.., I am the walrus ..not him (Paul), I.., I am the walrus!"
Brian was found, two days later, in a car which had been pushed over a cliff and set alight.
We were desperately aware that Paul, Brian and the Beatles were finished.
But our anger made us think: we would not stop, we would not give up.
Paul had left a lot of material that was yet to be published.
We met: nobody had to know and Paul could still be kept alive.
The only question was how.
It was announced to the press the Beatles' wish not to make any more concerts and only work in the recording studio which gave us a bit of breathing space.
It was suggested to us from the same intelligence service department what to do:
they had in their secret labs at their disposal cosmetic surgeons with the technical skills to recreate perfect doubles but in exchange for their help we had to keep quiet about what had happened; the penalty for refusing to remain silent was death.
We found a look-alike for Brian and a few contenders for Paul but the main problem was to find one with the most similar voice possible.
We had to check out a number of imitators (and there were many at that time) and find one with a face compatible with Paul's.
We found a boy with a beautiful voice that was able to imitate Paul in a cogent manner but his face presented problems that would not be compliant with the cosmetic surgery needed.
We decided however to use him to complete the songs for the album that was in current preparation so it could be released as quickly as possible in order to divert the suspicions and rumours that had begun to hound us.
When we had all but given up the right man was found.
His name was William Sheppard and he was with the Canadian Military Police.
He liked to sing and knew how to strum a bit on the piano.
He had a beautiful voice but the quality of his Paul voice imitation was not as good as that of the boy who had already been working with us; however his face as presented was wonderfully compatible as regards to the profile and jaw, two key factors in determining the correct candidate that the cosmetic surgeons could use.
Despite this, there were a number of differences:
Paul was long-sighted
Bill was short-sighted
Paul had hair that naturally went from left to right
Bill had (has) hair that went naturally from right to left
Paul had a round face
Bill had a dug face
Paul was left handed
Bill was right handed
After a while Bill accepted the job because he had had the left part of his face broken by an old accident and he wanted cosmetic surgery to fix it.
In an irony of fate the "substitutes" had inverted heights: The substitute of Paul was taller and the counterpart of Brian was smaller.
For this, they suggested tricks that we were to adopt when we were filmed together.
In the meantime the record corporation, not knowing if the operation would be successful or not, decided to hurriedly publish a Xmas album of old songs of the Beatles without