More than 300 comedians, comedy writers, producers and directors on both sides of the Atlantic have named Cook, who died 10 years ago at the age of 57, as the world's most talented comedian.

The father of modern satire crowns a list of 50 of the most revered names in entertainment which is dominated by British performers. Fawlty Towers and Monty Python star John Cleese is placed second, with American film-maker Woody Allen and the late Eric Morecambe making up the top four. The list was compiled for the Channel 4 show The Comedians' Comedian, shown yesterday.

Tommy Cooper, who died in 1984 after collapsing on stage, came sixth, while Scottish stand-up Billy Connolly was eighth. Double act Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer made number nine.

Praise for Cook came from many names on the list. Canadian Austin Powers star Mike Myers, voted 48th, said of him: 'I didn't know dirty words could be done that artfully.' British comedian and writer Arthur Smith said: 'He had talent oozing out of him and he hardly had to exert himself as he was so brilliantly funny. He influenced a whole generation of people - even now he's spoken of in terms of awe.'

The US stand-up Greg Proops explained Cook's elusive brand of charisma. 'There's a kind of insanity which is in his eyes, when he's trying to do dead corpse, and that's where all the magic is, in that evil, evil, brilliant devil.' The late Dudley Moore, Cook's comic partner, does not make an appearance in the top 50.

Women comics do not make much impact on the list. The highest-ranking is Victoria Wood, left, at 27, followed by French and Saunders at 31. The only other women in the top 50 are the US star of the barbed one-liners, Joan Rivers, at 40, followed by the late British comedian Joyce Grenfell, who appeared in the St Trinian's films. The talent behind The Office, Ricky Gervais, just makes it at number 49.

The top 20

1. Peter Cook

2. John Cleese

3. Woody Allen

4. Eric Morecambe

5. Groucho Marx

6. Tommy Cooper

7. Laurel and Hardy

8. Billy Connolly

9. Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer

10. Richard Pryor

11. Chris Morris

12. Tony Hancock

13. Bill Hicks

14. Peter Sellers

15. Steve Martin

16. Ronnie Barker

17. Steve Coogan

18. Charlie Chaplin

19. Eddie Izzard

20. Paul Merton