Anthony Hopkins first played Dr Lecter in Silence of the Lambs

While Lecter epitomises all that is evil, Atticus Finch played by Gregory Peck in To Kill a Mockingbird was voted the biggest screen hero by the American Film Institute (AFI).

The AFI has unveiled a list of the top 100 villains and heroes, voted for by film industry professionals including actors, directors and critics.

The hero of To Kill a Mockingbird, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Harper Lee, is seen a noble character who defends a black man accused of rape, set against the backdrop of the Deep South in the US.

TOP FIVE SCREEN VILLAINS 1. Hannibal Lecter - Silence of the Lambs 2. Norman Bates - Psycho 3. Darth Vader - Empire Strikes Back 4. Wicked Witch of the West - Wizard of Oz 5. Nurse Ratched - One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Source: AFI

"I think Atticus Finch just represents the goodness all of us want to see in others and feel in ourselves," said Jean Picker Firstenburg, the institute's director.

"This is a hard time in human history, and we look for the bright spots that show us the way."

The adventurer Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark, played by Harrison Ford, was voted the second biggest hero, while Sean Connery's James Bond in Dr No came third.

Dr Lecter's murderous behaviour has sent chills up the spines of audiences since he was first played by Anthony Hopkins in Silence of the Lambs in 1991.

Indiana Jones came second in the heroes list

And Psycho's Norman Bates, chillingingly portrayed by Anthony Perkins, was voted the second worst villain, with his mother fixation sticking in memories.

Star Wars baddie Darth Vadar came in third place for The Empire Strikes Back.

Honour

Arnold Schwarzenegger's dual roles in The Terminator saw him placed on both lists, with the bad cyborg at number 22 in the villains list and the good cyborg number 48 among the heroes.

Schwarzenegger, who will be hosting a US TV special about the poll, said he was "ecstatic" at being featured on both the goodies and baddies list.

TOP FIVE SCREEN HEROES 1. Atticus Finch - To Kill a Mockingbird 2. Indiana Jones - Raiders of the Lost Ark 3. James Bond - Dr No 4. Rick Blaine - Casablanca 5. Will Kane - High Noon Source: AFI

"To say you are one of the 50 favourite villains and one of the 50 favourite heroes in the history of American motion pictures, that is unbelievable, and I felt very honoured."

Other top 10 heroes include Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) in Casablanca, Will Kane (Gary Cooper) in High Noon and Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) in Silence of the Lambs.

The top 10 villains features six memorable female characters.

The fourth placed villain was voted as the Wicked Witch of the West, played by Margaret Hamilton in The Wizard of Oz, who frightened poor Dorothy.

Others include Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher) in One Flew Over a Cuckoo's Nest, Alex Forrest (Glenn Close) in Fatal Attraction, and the head-spinning Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair) in the Exorcist.