Carnival magician David J. Stewart (as Victor Sadini) finds dim-witted Brandon de Wilde (as Hugo) outside his Toledo trailer, and takes him in for some warm milk. When Mr. de Wilde awakens, he reveals he's run away from "the home", and is very hungry. De Wilde immediately takes a liking to Mr. Stewart's seductive blonde assistant, Diana Dors (as Irene), who is having an affair with trapeze artist Larry Kert (as George Morris). Gullible de Wilde sees Mr. Stewart saw Ms. Dors in half, and decides he'd like to be a magician, too. Meanwhile, Dors plots to do away her devilish husband, and run away with the muscular Mr. Kert
This was produced in 1961, to air as a regular half hour episode of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" - but TV stations reportedly wouldn't run "The Sorcerer's Apprentice". And, it's easy to see why.
Robert Bloch's story is completely unacceptable for 1960s network television. The ending is particularly unairable. This, of course, makes it one of the episodes you must see (second to those episodes actually directed by Mr. Hitchcock). Hitchcock's bracketing comments are priceless. "Irene was beside herself," he surmises. She's a scream. De Wilde has fun with the lead role; the kid from "Shane", he was in the midst of some well-received young adult film roles. Writer Bloch was a Hitchcock favorite, contributing not only high quality teleplays, but also "Psycho".
******* The Sorcerer's Apprentice (1961) Alfred Hitchcock : Joseph Lejtes ~ Diana Dors, Brandon de Wilde, David J. Stewart, Larry Kert