Fred 'Snowflake' Toones
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- January 5, 1906
- Died
- February 13, 1962 (aged 56)
- Birthplace
- North Carolina, USA
Biography
Fred "Snowflake" Toones was a character actor who appeared in over 200 films between 1928 and 1951. He often worked under contract for Republic Pictures, appearing in about 40 of its films. He played a bootblack or shoeshine man in at least six of his movies, and Toones actually ran the shoeshine stand at Republic Studios. He first appeared as a porter in 1932 in The Hurricane Express and was usually typecast as a porter - appearing in over 50 films in such a role. He also played a variety of other service-oriented or domestic worker roles such as stable grooms, janitors, elevator operators, valets, cooks, bellhops, doormen, butlers, and bartenders. Like other actors of the time, i.e. Anna May Wong and Franklin Pangborn, Toones is a prime example of racial and social stereotyping in the Hollywood film industry. His standard characterization was that of a middle-aged "colored" man with a high-pitched voice and childlike mannerisms. "Snowflake" was the stage name Toones was best known by, and he used this name as his credit as early as his third film, 1931's Shanghaied Love. Likewise, in Shanghaied Love and over 35 other films, "Snowflake" was also Toones' character name. He acted in films such as Mississippi (1935), Hawk of the Wilderness (1938), and Daredevils of the Red Circle (1939) with Bruce Bennett and in many "B" westerns such as The Lawless Nineties (1936) with John Wayne. He also appeared in dozens of two-reelers such as Columbia's Woman Haters (1934) with the Three Stooges, and had a bit role in Laurel and Hardy's classic feature Way Out West (1937). Toones is also a familiar face in four Preston Sturges comedies: Twentieth Century (1934), Remember the Night (1940), Christmas in July (1940), and The Palm Beach Story (1942). He died on 13 February 1962 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
Known For
Filmography
Racket Squad
TV · 1 ep
Bells of San Angelo
Movie · as The Cook
Where There's Life
Movie · as Department Store Mover (uncredited)
G.I. War Brides
Movie · as Pullman Porter (uncredited)
Fool's Gold
Movie · as Speed
Two Sisters from Boston
Movie · as Porter (uncredited)
The Secret of the Whistler
Movie
The Lost Weekend
Movie · as Washroom Attendant at Harry & Joe's (uncredited)
Hidden Valley Outlaws
Movie · as Snowflake
Barbary Coast Gent
Movie · as Train Porter
The Mystery of the 13th Guest
Movie · as Joe (uncredited)
Here Comes Mr. Zerk
Movie · as Shooting Galley Man
Who's Superstitious?
Movie · as Dice Player
Land of Hunted Men
Movie · as Snowflake
Haunted Ranch
Movie · as Sam
Spy Train
Movie · as Pullman Car Porter (as Snowflake)
The Palm Beach Story
Movie · as Colored Bartender
Groom and Bored
Movie · as Train Porter
Queen of Broadway
Movie · as Mose (as Snowflake)
Silver Queen
Movie · as Butler (uncredited)
Obliging Young Lady
Movie · as George - Train Porter (uncredited)
Give Out, Sisters
Movie · as Nightclub Valet
The Great Man's Lady
Movie · as Pogey
Repent at Leisure
Movie · as Rufe
A Missouri Outlaw
Movie · as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
The Apache Kid
Movie · as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
Back in the Saddle
Movie · as Train Porter (uncredited)
Death Valley Outlaws
Movie · as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
Two Gun Sheriff
Movie · as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
Golden Hoofs
Movie · as Snowflake
Sleepers West
Movie · as Waiter (uncredited)
Christmas in July
Movie · as Sam (uncredited)
Remember the Night
Movie · as Rufus
Carolina Moon
Movie · as Sam (uncredited)
Seventeen
Movie · as Genesis
I Want a Divorce
Movie · as Porter
Pardon My Berth Marks
Movie · as Train Porter
Ride, Tenderfoot, Ride
Movie · as Train Porter
Gaucho Serenade
Movie · as New York City Pier Worker
The Biscuit Eater
Movie · as Sermon
Texas Terrors
Movie · as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
The Tulsa Kid
Movie · as Snowflake - the Cook (as Snowflake)
One Man's Law
Movie · as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
Frontier Vengeance
Movie · as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Movie · as Porter (uncredited)
King of the Turf
Movie · as Groom
Daredevils of the Red Circle
Movie · as Snowflake
Hollywood Cavalcade
Movie · as Train Porter
Dodge City
Movie · as Willie (uncredited)
Navy Secrets
Movie · as Steve's Shoe-Shiner
Red River Range
Movie · as Bellhop (uncredited)
Hawk of the Wilderness
Movie · as George
Under the Big Top
Movie · as Juba
Riders of the Black Hills
Movie · as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
The Nightshirt Bandit
Movie · as Sam
A Star Is Born
Movie · as Witness (uncredited)
Off to the Races
Movie · as Ebbie
Gunsmoke Ranch
Movie · as Snowflake (unconfirmed)
The Duke Comes Back
Movie · as Snowflake
Yodelin' Kid from Pine Ridge
Movie · as Sam
Youth on Parole
Movie · as Redcap (uncredited)
Wild Horse Rodeo
Movie · as Snowflake
Range Defenders
Movie · as Cook
A Day at Santa Anita
Movie · as Cloudy (uncredited)
She Loved a Fireman
Movie · as Joe
Smart Blonde
Movie · as Redcap Getting Tip (uncredited)
Fair Warning
Movie · as Porter
Way Out West
Movie · as Janitor
Desert Justice
Movie · as Snowflake - Bank Janitor
The Peppery Salt
Movie · as Black Henchman
The Lawless Nineties
Movie · as Moses
The Gorgeous Hussy
Movie · as Horatius (uncredited)
Frontier Justice
Movie · as Snowflake
The Lonely Trail
Movie · as Snowflake
Hair-Trigger Casey
Movie · as Snowflake
Black Gold
Movie · as Snowflake
Born to Fight
Movie · as Snowflake
Racing Blood
Movie · as Sad Sam
College Holiday
Movie · as Porter (uncredited)
Aces Wild
Movie · as Snowflake
Palm Springs
Movie · as Porter
The Green Pastures
Movie · as Zubo (uncredited)
Freshman Love
Movie · as Mose (uncredited)
The Girl on the Front Page
Movie
Wildcat Saunders
Movie · as Snowflake
Come and Get It
Movie · as Snowflake (uncredited)
Gold Diggers of 1937
Movie · as Snowflake (uncredited)
Big Brown Eyes
Movie · as Chalky (Uncredited)
Florida Special
Movie · as Waiter (uncredited)
Romance in the Air
Movie · as Janitor
Honeymoon Bridge
Movie
Riddle Ranch
Movie · as Snowflake
Valley of Wanted Men
Movie · as Snowflake
Raised and Called
Movie
$10 Raise
Movie · as Bootblack (uncredited)
Speed Limited
Movie · as Vegas Station Pullman Porter
Stolen Harmony
Movie · as Henry (uncredited)
Cheers of the Crowd
Movie
Alibi Ike
Movie · as Night Porter
Social Error
Movie · as Shadow
Hands Across the Table
Movie · as Snowflake (uncredited)
Love, Honor and Obey (the Law!)
Movie · as Phone operator (uncredited)
A Night at the Ritz
Movie · as Porter (uncredited)
Go Into Your Dance
Movie · as Snowflake
Mississippi
Movie · as Leadsman (uncredited)
Woman Haters
Movie · as Baggage Handler (uncredited), Baggage Man (uncredited)
Murder in the Private Car
Movie · as Titus
Here Comes the Groom
Movie · as Porter
Palooka
Movie · as Smokey (as Snowflake)
Sleepers East
Movie · as Porter (uncredited)
Lady by Choice
Movie · as Mose (uncredited)
Death on the Diamond
Movie · as Porter (uncredited)
You Bring the Ducks
Movie · as Snowflake
The Gay Bride
Movie · as 1st bootblack (uncredited)
Twentieth Century
Movie · as George Washington Jones (uncredited)
Half a Sinner
Movie · as Snowflake
Imitation of Life
Movie · as Man at Funeral (uncredited)
Riptide
Movie · as Slick
Here Comes the Navy
Movie · as Cookie (uncredited)
Handy Andy
Movie
Something Simple
Movie · as Taxi Driver
The Mayor of Hell
Movie · as Mr. Hemingway (uncredited)
Goodbye Again
Movie · as Train Porter (uncredited)
The Mind Reader
Movie · as Black Man - Shill at Hair Tonic (uncredited)
Before Midnight
Movie · as 1st Taxi Driver
King for a Night
Movie · as Masseur
Fast Workers
Movie · as Mike (Uncredited)
Meet the Baron
Movie · as Stable Groom (uncredited)
Gold Diggers of 1933
Movie · as Black Man in "Pettin' in the Park" Number (uncredited)
Saturday's Millions
Movie · as Porter
Central Airport
Movie · as Hotel Porter
Only Yesterday
Movie · as Wall Street Bootblack (Uncredited)
Deluge
Movie · as Townsman
Gabriel Over the White House
Movie · as Sylvester (uncredited)
Out of Singapore
Movie · as Snowball, the Ship's Cook
A Strange Adventure
Movie · as Jeff
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
Movie · as Marine on Ship (uncredited)
The Hurricane Express
Movie · as Sam (uncredited)
The Cabin in the Cotton
Movie · as Ezzy Daniels (uncredited)
Robbers' Roost
Movie · as Snowflake
The County Fair
Movie · as Curfew
Police Court
Movie
American Madness
Movie · as Sam (uncredited)
Single-Handed Sanders
Movie · as Snowflake
The Arm of the Law
Movie · as Jackson
Human Targets
Movie · as 'Snowflake'
The Galloping Ghost
Movie · as Football Fan
A Private Scandal
Movie · as Snowflake
Who's Who in the Zoo
Movie · as Park Worker with Harmonica (uncredited)
Ladies' Night in a Turkish Bath
Movie · as Barbershop Attendant (uncredited)