Simpler access to "Task Manager"

When I want "TaskManager", it is often in an urgent situation ...
... like a lockup or when I want to see running services/apps immediately

In WinXP Ctrl+Alt+Delete opened taskmgr.exe

In Win7, Ctrl+Alt+Delete opens an intermediate screen with 7 options of which only one is "Start Task Manager"

• Lock Computer
• Switch User
• LogOff
• Change Password
• Start Task Manager
• ... plus ... two buttons "Ease of Access" and Shutdown Options"

Apart from "Task Manager" nothing else is ever "urgent". All the "others" are available in a multiplicity of locations/methods.
I have considered creating a custom Windows shortcut (Ctrl+Alt+Del or Ctrl+Shift+Delete), but thought I should check here first.

From a sevenforums search:=tskmgr.exe ... the closest result I found was Replace Taskmanager with Resource Monitor?

A shortcut on Start might not always be available during lockups ... and on TaskBar ... to easy to click.
Is there an existing alternative key-combination for "Task manager" ?
Or can the "intermediate" window be disabled and still allow tskmgr.exe to run with Ctrl+Alt+Delete ?

Thank you :)

Works on 8 and 8.1 as well.

In addition if it may help: Task Manager - Create Elevated Shortcut