THE Marlboro Man, a fictional American cowboy who emerged in the 1950s and helped boost sales of Marlboro cigarettes, has topped a list of ‘The 101 most influential “imaginary people”.

　　Coming in at number two on the list is Big Brother of George Orwell’s totalitarian novel ‘1984’, followed by King Arthur in third place, and Santa Claus at number four.

　　The authors claim that only fictional characters, who have managed to “shape society, change our behavior, and set the course of history”, have been included in the list.

　　“The point of the book is to entertain,” Hollywood Rag quoted Lazar, a retired physician, as saying.

　　Each entry in the list is accompanied by a short description, explaining the significance of the character - be it good or bad.

　　Characters such as the Ugly Duckling, Barbie, Mickey Mouse, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, fictional detective Sherlock Holmes and superhero Batman also made it to the list.

　　Secret agent James Bond, who comes in at 51, is praised for his “intrigue, sex appeal and British suavity with the highest technologies of modern age”. However, the much-loved children’s character Cinderella, who claimed the number 26 spot, was blasted for “degrading stepmothers and encouraging people to rely on magic, not themselves”.