Hollywood Blockbuster The Sixth Sense and its star Bruce Willis have picked up top honours at America's 26th annual People's Choice Awards.

The 44-year-old actor was voted Favourite Motion Picture Star in a drama and The Sixth Sense was declared Favourite Motion Picture and Favourite Dramatic Motion Picture at the ceremony in Pasadena, California.

As he collected his award on Sunday, Willis thanked the audience "for giving The Sixth Sense the respect it deserved".

The supernatural thriller has already grossed more than $280m (�170m) at the box office and picked up two Golden Globe nominations last month.

Also among the winners, who were mostly chosen in a telephone poll of 5,000 Americans, was comic actor Adam Sandler.

His summer movie Big Daddy, which was panned by critics, was voted Favourite Comedy Motion Picture and Sandler himself was named as Favourite Motion Picture Star in a Comedy.

Runaway Bride actress Julia Roberts and Star Wars hero Harrision Ford took best acting awards at the ceremony, which also polls the US public's taste in television and music.

Top TV awards went to long-running comedy Friends, which was named Favourite Comedy Series and top-rating medical drama ER, which won Favourite Dramatic series.

Ally McBeal star Calista Flockhart was named Favourite Female TV performer and oddball comedy actor Drew Carey of The Drew Carey Show, was named favourite Male TV Performer.

Jennifer Love Hewitt, who made her name in top US show Party of Five, was named Favourite Female Performer in a new TV show for her part in Time of Your Life.

In the musical categories, Latin heart-throb Ricky Martin and country pop sensation Shania Twain stole the show, picking up Favourite Male and Favourite Female Musical Performers.

MTV award-winners Backstreet Boys were chosen as the Favourite Musical Group.

A new feature of the awards show this year was two categories voted for by the public over the internet.

Providence won Favourite New Drama Series and Stark Raving Mad was named Favourite New Comedy Series in this category.

People's Choice winners in full

Favourite Motion Picture: The Sixth Sense
Favourite Dramatic Motion Picture: The Sixth Sense
Favourite Comedy Motion Picture: Big Daddy
Favourite Motion Picture Star in a Comedy: Adam Sandler
Favourite Motion Picture Star in a Drama: Bruce Willis
Favourite Motion Picture Actor: Harrison Ford
Favourite Motion Picture Actress: Julia Roberts
Favourite Male Television Performer: Drew Carey
Favourite Female Television Performer: Calista Flockhart
Favourite Male Performer in a New Television Series: Billy Campbell, Once and Again
Favourite Female Performer in a New Television Series: Jennifer Love Hewitt, Time of Your Life
Favourite Television Comedy Series: Friends
Favourite Television Dramatic Series: ER
Favourite Male Musical Performer: Ricky Martin
Favourite Female Musical Performer: Shania Twain
Favourite Musical Group or Band: Backstreet Boys
Favourite New Television Comedy Series: Stark Raving Mad
Favourite New Television Dramatic Series: Providence