Lucas, Spielberg named top Hollywood earners

Star Wars director George Lucas was the highest paid individual in Hollywood this year, according to a new list compiled by Forbes.

The filmmaker beat competition from fellow director Steven Spielberg to nab first place in the poll after earning an estimated $170 million (£104 million) between June 2008 and June 2009.

Steven Spielberg finished in second place with reported earnings of $150 million (£91.6 million), while Pirates of the Caribbean and CSI producer Jerry Bruckheimer was third with $100 million (£61.1 million).

The business magazine said in a statement: "In Hollywood, the stars get their pictures on the covers of magazines and designers ply them with free clothes, but producers earn the big bucks... half made the cut mostly for their production work, not their star quality."

This year's top 15 earned an estimated $1.2 billion (£730 million) between them. The list was compiled by talking to managers, agents and other Hollywood insiders.

The highest-paid people in Hollywood are:

1. George Lucas ($170 m)
2. Steven Spielberg ($150 m)
3. Jerry Bruckheimer ($100 m)
4. Jerry Seinfeld ($85 m)
5. Dr Phil McGraw ($80 m)
6. Tyler Perry ($75 m)
6. Dick Wolf ($75 m)
6. Simon Cowell ($75 m)
7. Bruce Springsteen ($70 m)
7. Howard Stern ($70 m)

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