Editing Bela Lugosi (section)

=== Stage and personal appearances ===
Lugosi enjoyed a lively career on stage, with plenty of personal appearances. As film offers declined, he became more and more dependent on live venues to support his family. Lugosi took over the role of Jonathan Brewster from Boris Karloff for ''[[Arsenic and Old Lace (play)|Arsenic and Old Lace]]''. Lugosi had also expressed interest in playing Elwood P. Dowd in ''[[Harvey (play)|Harvey]]'' to help himself professionally. He also made plenty of personal live appearances to promote his horror image or an accompanying film.<ref name="Bela Lugosi In Person" /><ref>{{cite book |last1=Kaffenberger |first1=Bill |last2=Rhodes |first2=Gary |title=No Traveler Returns: The Lost Years of Bela Lugosi |date=2012 |publisher=BearManor Media |isbn=978-1593932855 }}</ref>

The [[Vincent Price]] film, ''[[House of Wax (1953 film)|House of Wax]]'' premiered in Los Angeles at the Paramount Theatre on April 16, 1953. The film played at midnight with a number of celebrities in the audience that night ([[Judy Garland]], [[Ginger Rogers]], [[Rock Hudson]], [[Broderick Crawford]], [[Gracie Allen]], [[Eddie Cantor]], [[Shelley Winters]] and others). Producer [[Alex Gordon (writer-producer)|Alex Gordon]], knowing Lugosi was in dire need of cash, arranged for the actor to stand outside the theater wearing a cape and dark glasses, holding a man costumed as a gorilla on a leash. He later allowed himself to be photographed drinking a glass of milk at a [[Red Cross]] booth there. When Lugosi playfully attempted to bite the "nurse" in attendance, she overreacted and spilled a glass of milk all over his shirt and cape. Afterward, Lugosi was interviewed by a reporter who botched the interview by asking the prearranged questions out of order, thoroughly confusing the aging star. Embarrassed, Lugosi left abruptly, without attending the screening.<ref>Gary Don Rhodes (1997). ''Lugosi. His Life in Films, on Stage, and in the Hearts of Horror Lovers''. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. p. 198. {{ISBN|978-0786402571}}.</ref>