Master Thespian Plays Santa Claus

Master Thespian (Jon Lovitz), a hammy Shakespearean actor, is hired to play Santa Claus at Macy's department store. Despite never having heard of Santa, he improvises the role while learning the character through mistakes. He scares children, annoys parents with philosophical questions about begging, forgets his lines, and ultimately fakes his own death. The sketch features Phil Hartman as the exasperated store manager who must constantly give him notes. The sketch parodies method acting and over-the-top theatrical performances.

Duration: 385 seconds (6 minutes 25 seconds). Views: 189,615. Likes: 1,622. The Master Thespian character was based on Canadian actor William Needles, who was Jon Lovitz's drama professor at the University of California at Irvine. Phil Hartman's store manager character is based on Frank Nelson's comedy style. This was one of Master Thespian's most memorable appearances. The sketch is considered a holiday classic for SNL fans.