Fred 'Snowflake' Toones
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
Porter (uncredited)
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Witness (uncredited)
A Star Is Born
Ebbie
Off to the Races
Colored Bartender
The Palm Beach Story
Sam (uncredited)
Christmas in July
Rufus
Remember the Night
Snowflake - Bank Janitor
Desert Justice
Honeymoon Bridge
Snowflake
Riddle Ranch
Snowflake (unconfirmed)
Gunsmoke Ranch
Pullman Porter (uncredited)
G.I. War Brides
The Cook
Bells of San Angelo
Sam (uncredited)
Carolina Moon
Black Henchman
The Peppery Salt
Mr. Hemingway (uncredited)
The Mayor of Hell
Pogey
The Great Man's Lady
Moses
The Lawless Nineties
Horatius (uncredited)
The Gorgeous Hussy
Baggage Handler (uncredited)
Woman Haters
Snowflake
Frontier Justice
Football Fan
The Galloping Ghost
Joe the Valet (uncredited)
The Mystery of the 13th Guest
Bellhop (uncredited)
Red River Range
Snowflake
The Lonely Trail
Snowflake
Valley of Wanted Men
Snowflake
Hair-Trigger Casey
Snowflake
The Duke Comes Back
Genesis
Seventeen
Snowflake
Black Gold
Snowflake
Born to Fight
Sad Sam
Racing Blood
Groom
King of the Turf
Raised and Called
Snowflake
A Private Scandal
Porter
I Want a Divorce
George
Hawk of the Wilderness
Snowflake
Daredevils of the Red Circle
Bootblack (uncredited)
$10 Raise
Train Porter (uncredited)
Goodbye Again
Snowball, the Ship's Cook
Out of Singapore
Sam
Yodelin' Kid from Pine Ridge
Porter (uncredited)
College Holiday
Redcap (uncredited)
Youth on Parole
Snowflake
Wild Horse Rodeo
Park Worker with Harmonica (uncredited)
Who's Who in the Zoo
Juba
Under the Big Top
Cook
Range Defenders
Black Man - Shill at Hair Tonic (uncredited)
The Mind Reader
Barbershop Attendant (uncredited)
Ladies' Night in a Turkish Bath
Titus
Murder in the Private Car
Department Store Mover (uncredited)
Where There's Life
Porter
Here Comes the Groom
Snowflake
Aces Wild
Speed
Fool's Gold
Cloudy (uncredited)
A Day at Santa Anita
1st Taxi Driver
Before Midnight
Smokey (as Snowflake)
Palooka
Vegas Station Pullman Porter
Speed Limited
Train Porter
Hollywood Cavalcade
Porter
Palm Springs
Henry (uncredited)
Stolen Harmony
Masseur
King for a Night
Rufe
Repent at Leisure
Willie (uncredited)
Dodge City
Cheers of the Crowd
Joe
She Loved a Fireman
Train Porter
Pardon My Berth Marks
Train Porter
Ride, Tenderfoot, Ride
Night Porter
Alibi Ike
Washroom Attendant at Harry & Joe's (uncredited)
The Lost Weekend
Snowflake (as Snowflake)
A Missouri Outlaw
Snowflake (as Snowflake)
The Apache Kid
Train Porter (uncredited)
Back in the Saddle
Shadow
Social Error
Mike (Uncredited)
Fast Workers
Jeff
A Strange Adventure
Shooting Galley Man
Here Comes Mr. Zerk
Redcap Getting Tip (uncredited)
Smart Blonde
Zubo (uncredited)
The Green Pastures
Train Porter
Groom and Bored
Marine on Ship (uncredited)
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
Snowflake (uncredited)
Hands Across the Table
New York City Pier Worker
Gaucho Serenade
Mose (uncredited)
Freshman Love
Phone operator (uncredited)
Love, Honor and Obey (the Law!)
Porter (uncredited)
A Night at the Ritz
Sermon
The Biscuit Eater
Dice Player
Who's Superstitious?
Stable Groom (uncredited)
Meet the Baron
The Girl on the Front Page
Snowflake (as Snowflake)
Texas Terrors
Snowflake - the Cook (as Snowflake)
The Tulsa Kid
Snowflake (as Snowflake)
Death Valley Outlaws
Snowflake (as Snowflake)
One Man's Law
Snowflake
Land of Hunted Men
Snowflake (as Snowflake)
Frontier Vengeance
Mose (as Snowflake)
Queen of Broadway
Snowflake (as Snowflake)
Two Gun Sheriff
Snowflake
Hidden Valley Outlaws
Sam
Haunted Ranch
Porter
Fair Warning
Butler (uncredited)
Silver Queen
Man in "Pettin' in the Park" Number (uncredited)
Gold Diggers of 1933
Porter (uncredited)
Sleepers East
Mose (uncredited)
Lady by Choice
Pullman Car Porter (as Snowflake)
Spy Train
Snowflake - the Handyman (as Snowflake)
Wildcat Saunders
Snowflake (as Snowflake)
Riders of the Black Hills
Sam (uncredited)
The Hurricane Express
Porter (uncredited)
Death on the Diamond
Train Porter
Barbary Coast Gent
Porter
Saturday's Millions
Snowflake
Golden Hoofs
Ezzy Daniels (uncredited)
The Cabin in the Cotton
George - Train Porter (uncredited)
Obliging Young Lady
Snowflake
You Bring the Ducks
Snowflake
Robbers' Roost
1st bootblack (uncredited)
The Gay Bride
Hotel Porter
Central Airport
Snowflake (uncredited)
Come and Get It
George Washington Jones (uncredited)
Twentieth Century
Snowflake
Go Into Your Dance
Snowflake
Half a Sinner
Wall Street Bootblack (Uncredited)
Only Yesterday
Man at Funeral (uncredited)
Imitation of Life
Steve's Shoe-Shiner
Navy Secrets
Porter (uncredited)
Two Sisters from Boston
Snowflake (uncredited)
Gold Diggers of 1937
Waiter (uncredited)
Sleepers West
Slick
Riptide
Townsman
Deluge
Curfew
The County Fair
Police Court
Sam
The Nightshirt Bandit
Chalky (Uncredited)
Big Brown Eyes
Janitor
Way Out West
Cookie (uncredited)
Here Comes the Navy
Sam (uncredited)
American Madness
Handy Andy
Snowflake
Single-Handed Sanders
Taxi Driver
Something Simple
Jackson
The Arm of the Law
The Secret of the Whistler
Leadsman (uncredited)
Mississippi
Baggage Man (uncredited)
Woman Haters
Waiter (uncredited)
Florida Special
Janitor
Romance in the Air
Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Known Credits
147
Gender
Male
Birthday
1906-01-05
Place of Birth
North Carolina, USA
Also Known As
'Snowflake'