Godfather voted top don

Marlon Brando's character in the classic film, the Godfather, has been voted the top don of all time.

14:51 10 October 2004

Marlon Brando's character in the classic film, the Godfather, has been voted the top don of all time.

Brando's portrayal of Don Vito Corleone, in Francis Ford Coppola's classic tale of the Sicilian Mafia in New York, came out top in the poll of gangster greats.

Three British stars also make it into the top 10 of the poll, which was conducted by UCI Cinemas.

Ex-football hardman Vinnie Jones comes in at seventh place for his role as Big Chris in the British film, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.

One place behind is Bob Hoskins as Harold Shand in the 1980 classic, The Long Good Friday. Ben Kingsley comes in at ninth place for his performance as Don Logan, in the film Sexy Beast.

Nevertheless, American actor Robert De Niro emerges as the most prolific gangster actor.

His portrayal of Vito Corleone in the Godfather II earned him second place in the poll, with his roles as Al Capone
in The Untouchables and as Sam Rothstein in Casino also featuring in the top ten.

"These 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," said UCI spokesman Katy Harris, commenting on the result of the poll.


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