A Visit From St. Nick and Seven Movie Stars

Most people know the classic Christmas poem that details the night before Christmas, but a local man has put a Hollywood twist on it. 

Ron MacCloskey is the host of "Classic Movies with Ron MacCloskey," a program produced by Edison TV that also airs in Piscataway, Perth Amboy, Fair Lawn and at Rutgers.

As a fun holiday offering, MacCloskey recently released a Christmas video featuring his impressionist skills paired with a reading of the famous Christmas poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas" by Clement Clarke Moore.

Channeling classic stars like Boris Karloff, John Wayne, and Cary Grant, the video, produced by Edison TV's program director Mike D'Amato, features MacCloskey reciting the poem stanzas as each character, complete with costumes and video effects. 

MacCloskey began performing the poem in 1974 after researching the actors and characters, taking it to comedy clubs around New Jersey and out to the west coast.

"Each stanza fits the characters' personalities," he said. 

He also performs the poem "Casey at the Bat" using the same seven characters, MacCloskey said, and aims to release that poem on TV this spring. 

MacCloskey said the idea behind the performance was to entertain folks either by bringing back memories of classic film and TV stars, or by simply presenting a cute, funny piece. 

"The goal is not to be a master impressionist recreating these people, but to have some fun and make you smile," he said.

Along with those smiles, he recently received praise from Caesar.

"Sara Karloff, Boris's daughter, just wrote me that she thought the video was "a delightful performance," MacCloskey said.

For more information on Classic Movies with Ron MacCloskey, click here.