The Stop-Motion Genius of Chuck Vincent

No Strings Attached & Le Toy Shop


"What the hey???"

Discovered by Scott Huffines during his Atomic Books tape-trading days, "No Strings Attached" was easily the strangest stop-motion animation clip we'd ever seen - or aired on Atomic TV (it was originally included as an extra on the "1997 East Coast Video Show" episode).

Watch "No Strings Attached." (1978?)
 
“Good morning, Mrs. Lady. I’m selling Scout cookies – would you be interested in purchasing a box?”
 
OK, make that the strangest stop-motion short we'd ever seen until we saw "Le Toy Shop"!

Snaggletoothed blow-up love doll from "Le Toy Shop"

 



It's obvious that whoever created "No Strings Attached" also was responsible the mind-blowing "Le Toy Shop," because the two adult-themed animated shorts share some of the same sets and cast "members" (Rod "What the hey?" Toole; the sexy Barbie doll housewife and her G.I. Joe cuckold husband; the giant disembodied dollhead observers - an Indian head in "No Strings Attached" and a demon head in "Le Toy Shop" - who act as a sort of silent Greek chorus holding together the narrative arc).

Rod Toole reprises his "No Strings Attached" role

Demon Doll Head

Lt. Uhura and Capt. Kirk: Lust in Space

But what ups the ante in "Le Toy Shop" is the appearance of a new cast of anatomically augmented players, including a pair of horny Star Trek figures (Kirk finally consummates his Lt. Uhura fantasies!), a bareback rough-riding urban cowboy, and a very sleazy looking Sonny Bono doll. And that's before we even get introduced to the "adult" dolls, which include those of the blow-up and vibrating variety, not to mention a phallic phalanx of marching dildo heads! (By the way, it's easy to date this film's time period going by the bargain basement prices advertised - a $3.98 dildo? That's a steal!)

The Love Shack: Toys for all occasions!

Though neither film lists legitimate credits (instead heralding bogus cast members like "Ben Dover," "Rod Toole" and "Ophelia Balls"), both are believed to be the work of auteur Chuck Vincent (aka Chuck Vincent Dingley), though one Internet site credits the films to a "Robert Patten." This source says: "The guy who made this film, Robert Patten, was my roommate back in the late 70′ early ’80. He wrote, directed and animated. He shot in out apartment in Manhattan. I have not seen it in many years. He made another No Strings Attached. I believe in 1978 or there about."

On the same site, Russ Shirley adds "I was the person who recorded all the pre-production audio for “Le Toy Shop”. It was also recorded in a little efficiency apartment in Manhattan on the upper east side. Robert was a starting filmmaker working at New Line Cinema. I did get to see No Strings Attached before working on Le Toy Shop."

Given the prevalence of pseudonyms in the the adult film industry, we may never know exactly who's who.

Chuck Vincent (or Patten) allegedly made them in the late '70s or early '80s (No Strings Attached in 1978? Le Toy Shop in 1980?) before moving on  to a successful career directing adult and soft-core feature films for VCA Pictures. Though gay, Vincent directed only straight adult films during his all-too-short career; he died at age 51 of AIDS complications on September 23, 1991 in Key West, Florida.

Watch "Le Toy Shop." (1980?)

Scott found this mini-bio of Chuck Vincent in an Ebay auction for a rare video called Chuck Vincent's EROTIC ANIMATION FESTIVAL.

About Chuck Vincent:

From late 1970s on long out of print VCA label. PLOT & COMMENTARY : Legendary XXX stop motion animation shorts LE TOY SHOPPE and NO STRINGS ATTACHED. Amazing!!! Plus live action shorts THE APPOINTMENT and WILD HONEY. Early work from Nudie Comedy auteur CHUCK VINCENT.

BIO: Writer/director/producer/editor Charles Vincent Dingley was born on September 6, 1940 in Michigan. Vincent began his show business career in regional theater as a director and stage manager.

He subsequently moved east and worked for both Yale Rep and the Negro Ensemble Company prior to founding the production company Platinum Pictures in New York City. Chuck made his cinematic debut in 1971 with the comedic adult short feature “The Appointment.”

Vincent churned out a slew of often humorous and frequently arousing adult oriented movies from the early 70s up until the mid 80s which include “While the Cat’s Away,” “Blue Summer,” “Lecher,” “Heavy Load,” “Visions,” “Dirty Lily,” “Jack’n'Jill,” “Misbehavin’,” “Roommates,” “Puss’n'Boots,” “In Love,” “Bordello … House of the Rising Sun,” and “Sex Crimes 2084.”

Among the popular porno thespians he regularly worked with are Veronica Hart, Samantha Fox, and Jamie Gillis.

Outside of his porno fare, Chuck also did such more “legitimate” R-rated low-budget films as the amusing lowbrow comedies “Summer Camp,” “Hot T-Shirts,” “C.O.D.,” “Preppies,” “Hollywood Hot Tubs,” “Wimps,” “Sex Appeal,” “Slammer Girls,” and “New York’s Finest,” and the horror shocker “Deranged,” with Roberts Blossom, and the period action drama “Warrior Queen,” and the erotic thriller sequel “Bedroom Eyes II.”

He appeared in small parts in a handful of his own pictures.

Chuck Vincent died at age 51 from AIDS complications on September 23, 1991 in Key West, Florida.

One of Chuck Vincent's legit crossover films was American Tickler (1977), a self-described "laugh riot" designed to cash in on the cult success of the similarly styled (but far superior) sketch comedy film The Groove Tube. It starred a pre-Saturday Night Live Joe Piscopo in his film debut!

Chuck Vincent directed Joe Piscopo in "American Tickler"

Watch a sample "American Tickler" clip.




OK, dirty stop-motion animation fans - there's still hope in case you can't score (or afford) that pricey out-of-print Chuck Vincent's EROTIC ANIMATION FESTIVAL video. Both "No Strings Attached" and "Le Toy Shop" are available on a bootleg compilation DVD called F**ked Up Cartoon Party, though (once again) I didn't even know "Le Toy Shop" was on the disc until I made Scott a copy and he pointed out that it featured some of the same cast "members" and the same dollhouse. Look for this DVD online or in the dealer rooms at your local comic book/sci-fi/horror/record convention. 

Related Links:
Screencaps and discussion about "Le Toy Shop"
Chuck Vincent (IMDB)