Survey reveals that people love Homer Simpson and the "creatively brilliant in stupidity" personality that he has, being named the greatest character created for television and film for the past 20 years.

The lead character of the US cartoon series The Simpsons surpassed the popularities of schoolboy wizard Harry Potter and Buffy the vampire buster in a survey by US magazine Entertainment Weekly.

The Simpsons is the longest-running US television series in prime time. It is now in its 21st season and is broadcasted in over 90 countries.

Creator Matt Groening, who named the character after his father Homer Groening, said that millions of people are able to relate with Homer and his catchword "D'oh".

"People can relate to Homer because we're all secretly propelled by desires we can't admit to," Groening told the Entertainment Weekly.

"Homer is launching himself head-first into every single impulsive thought that occurs to him.

"His love of whatever ... is a joy to witness."

On second place is Harry Potter, a character created by British author JK Rowling and played by Daniel Radcliffe in the movie franchise.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer, played by Sarah Michelle Gellar, is in the third spot, followed by Tony Soprano from the HBO drama series The Sopranos, and the comic book villain The Joker played by the late Heat Ledger in The Dark Knight.

Completing the top 10 were Jennifer Aniston's Rachel from Friends, Edward Scissorhands from the movie of the same name, Hannibal Lecter played by British actor Anthony Hopkins, Sarah Jessica Parker's Carrie Bradshaw from Sex And The City and cartoon character Spongebob Squarepants.