Sinatra's Ghost Appears at Radio City...
Elvis' at Bank, Hendrix's at Toy Store

Technology has brought the late Frank Sinatra back to the stage, in a weird virtual-reality-meets-Rockettes show in New York. Elvis also made news in October, topping Forbes magazine's list of "Top Earning Dead Celebrities." Meanwhile, guitar icon Jimi Hendrix is returning as a toy action figure, just in time for Christmas.

Producer Des McAnuff has brought Old Blue Eyes back from the grave. Drawing on a collection of 35mm film performances that Sinatra made for ABC television in the 1950s, McAnuff has digitally extracted Sinatra from the "cheesy backdrops" of the TV shows (some of which have never been broadcast) and projected him onto the giant screens of New York's Radio City Music Hall.

The 17 projectors used to bring Frank to life are synched with dancers, a live orchestra and a choir. The entire show is emceed by jazz guitarist John Pizzarelli, whose "troubadour" role is to tell Sinatra's life story (and conduct the musicians). The limited run show is expected to return in February 2004.

This year's list also reunites John Lennon and George Harrison (#4 and #5, respectively). Other musical honorees include composing team Rodgers & Hammerstein, rock guitarists Jimi Hendrix and Jerry Garcia, classic song writers Cole Porter and Irving Berlin, rapper Tupac Shakur, and reggae pioneer Bob Marley. Sinatra rejoined the list this year, after missing the cut for 2002.

Finally, marketing company McFarlane has unveiled its latest toy action figure, a 6-inch figurine modeled after superhero… Jimi Hendrix. Jimi is dressed for serious action in his blue velvet pants, white shirt and scarves, and he's carrying his personal arsenal of boredom-battling weapons: guitar, amplifier, microphone, and his trademark array of effects pedals. A deluxe box set edition comes with a replica of his 1969 Woodstock stage setup.

McFarlane has also created figurines of Jerry Garcia and Ozzy Osbourne. The Hendrix release, authorized by his family, is set for November, which would have been Jimi's 61st birthday. Order one now for your own Voodoo Child!

Read about the Sinatra show in an Oct. 17 New York Times review by Stephen Holden, an Oct. 9 New York Times preview, or an Oct. 5 New York Times column by John Rockwell

Learn about Sinatra's legacy from his family's web site

Browse the schedule of events at Radio City Music Hall

Browse the complete Forbes list (19 listings), read the article at the Forbes site (includes a poll: which celebrities will be most famous after their death? Springsteen, Madonna, J-Lo, Michael Jackson, Britney) or hear the story from Australian Broadcasting Company

Find out about the Voodoo Child from McFarlane's own site

Read a CNN/Money magazine feature on the marketing of departed celebrities