UK votes Al Pacino greatest movie star

Godfather star Al Pacino has been named the greatest movie star of all time in a poll of British film fans. Italian-American Pacino topped the Channel 4 television poll to find the 100 greatest movie stars, followed by Robert de Niro. The results, broadcast on Sunday and Monday, reflected a strong bias towards the current generation of male actors. The only Indian, Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan, was listed 92nd.

Known for a string of gritty roles, Pacino, 63, was twice nominated for an Oscar for his performances as Michael Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola’s Godfather movies but did not win. Pacino picked up an Oscar in 1992 for a more tender role as embittered blind Army veteran in Scent of a Woman. Tom Hanks and Kevin Spacey came in at number three and four, followed by Harrison Ford and Jack Nicholson in fifth and sixth position.

More than 25,000 votes were cast in the poll. The highest placed British star was Anthony Hopkins at number seven, ahead of Sean Connery at eight and Ewan McGregor at nine.

There were no actresses in the Top 10. Breakfast at Tiffany’s star Audrey Hepburn was the highest female entry at number 13.