The 7ft 2in assassin, who quite literally went for his victims' jugular, topped the Total Film magazine vote - ahead of the likes of Gert Frobe's Goldfinger, Telly Savalas as Blofeld and Christopher Lee's golden-gun-wielding Scaramanga.

Jaws, played by former nightclub bouncer Richard Kiel, even fought off strong competition from Goldfinger's henchman Oddjob and his deadly steel-rimmed bowler.

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The gigantic killer first featured in The Spy Who Loved Me, pitted against 007 Roger Moore and KGB agent Anya Amasova - played by Barbara Bach.

He returned by popular demand in the next Bond film, Moonraker. Although again out for Moore's blood for most of the picture, Jaws later puts his baddie image in jeopardy by befriending the British agent.

Swiss-born actress Ursula Andress was declared the best Bond Girl of all time for her performance as bikini-clad amazon Honey Ryder in the very first film in the series, 1962's Dr No.

Votes galore

Andress, who went on to send-up her famous role in the 1967 Bond-spoof Casino Royale, beat Izabella Scorupco, who played Natalya Simonova in GoldenEye, and Honor Blackman's leather-clad flying ace Pussy Galore.

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Blackman's fellow Avengers star Diana Rigg faired less well. Rigg, who played 007's feisty wife Tracey in On Her Majesty's Secret Service, came fifth in the survey.

The RADA-trained actress even lagged behind Michelle Yeoh, who played alongside Pierce Brosnan in Bond's most recent outing, Tomorrow Never Dies.

"It was great to see so many votes for the old Bond girls," said Total Film's Cameron Winstanley. "But we were surprised that there were no votes for Tomorrow Never Dies girl Teri Hatcher."

By George!

Few will be surprised by the outcome of the favourite Bond vote. Sean Connery, the first actor to play 007 on the big screen, scooped the honour. The current incumbent, Pierce Brosnan, came second.

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Connery, whose Bond years covered three decades, also picked up votes for the best film. His 1964 effort Goldfinger, in which 007 foils a plot to contaminate America's gold reserves, topped the poll.

On Her Majesty's Secret Service, which saw Australian George Lazenby fleetingly take over from Connery, came second, much to the puzzlement of Total Film.