Brando tops gangster movie poll

The Godfather is probably Brando's best-known role

Marlon Brando has been voted the most memorable movie gangster of all time in a poll involving 3,000 film fans.

The late legendary actor, who won an Oscar for his role as head of the Corleone family in The Godfather, pipped Robert De Niro to the post.

De Niro took second spot in the UCI Cinemas poll for his portrayal of Vito Corleone in The Godfather II.

Three British actors made the top ten - Sir Ben Kingsley, Bob Hoskins and Vinnie Jones.

TOP 10 FILM GANGSTERS 1. Marlon Brando as Don Vito Corleone in The Godfather (1972) 2. Robert De Niro as Vito Corleone in The Godfather II (1974) 3. Ray Liotta as Henry Hill in Goodfellas (1990) 4. Robert De Niro as Al Capone in The Untouchables (1987) 5. James Cagney as William 'Rocky' Sullivan in Angels With Dirty Faces (1938) 6. Al Pacino as Antonio Tony Montana in Scarface (1983) 7. Vinnie Jones as Big Chris in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) 8. Bob Hoskins as Harold Shand in The Long Good Friday (1980) 9. Ben Kingsley as Don Logan in Sexy Beast (2000) 10. Robert De Niro as Sam 'Ace' Rothstein in Casino (1995) Source: UCI Cinemas

De Niro also took fourth spot for playing Al Capone in The Untouchables and 10th place for his role as Sam 'Ace' Rothstein in Casino.

"The gangster film genre is as popular with cinema-goers today as it was when James Cagney first swaggered across the screens in the 1930s," said UCI spokeswoman Katy Harris.

"These 10 characters are some of the most memorable ever created for the silver screen - from Brando's hugely charismatic family head to Ben Kingsley's viciously foul-mouthed criminal," she added.

"It is great to see that British film makers like Matthew Vaughn and Guy Ritchie are continuing to create the kind of films and characters that carry on this great cinematic tradition."