Fred 'Snowflake' Toones
Personal Info
Known for
Acting
Gender
Male
Birthday
1906-01-05
Day of Death
1962-02-13 (56 years old)
Place of Birth
North Carolina, USA
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
Acting
(1947)
Bells of San Angelo
as The Cook
(1947)
Where There's Life
as Department Store Mover (uncredited)
(1946)
Two Sisters from Boston
as Porter (uncredited)
(1946)
(1946)
Fool's Gold
as Speed
(1946)
G.I. War Brides
as Pullman Porter (uncredited)
(1945)
The Lost Weekend
as Washroom Attendant at Harry & Joe's (uncredited)
(1944)
Barbary Coast Gent
as Train Porter
(1944)
Hidden Valley Outlaws
as Snowflake
(1943)
The Mystery of the 13th Guest
as Joe the Valet (uncredited)
(1943)
Haunted Ranch
as Sam
(1943)
Land of Hunted Men
as Snowflake
(1943)
Spy Train
as Pullman Car Porter (as Snowflake)
(1943)
Here Comes Mr. Zerk
as Shooting Galley Man
(1943)
Who's Superstitious?
as Dice Player
(1942)
The Palm Beach Story
as Colored Bartender
(1942)
Silver Queen
as Butler (uncredited)
(1942)
Obliging Young Lady
as George - Train Porter (uncredited)
(1942)
Queen of Broadway
as Mose (as Snowflake)
(1942)
Groom and Bored
as Train Porter
(1941)
Sleepers West
as Waiter (uncredited)
(1941)
The Great Man's Lady
as Pogey
(1941)
The Apache Kid
as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
(1941)
Golden Hoofs
as Snowflake
(1941)
Back in the Saddle
as Train Porter (uncredited)
(1941)
Death Valley Outlaws
as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
(1941)
Two Gun Sheriff
as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
(1941)
A Missouri Outlaw
as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
(1941)
Repent at Leisure
as Rufe
(1940)
Remember the Night
as Rufus
(1940)
Christmas in July
as Sam (uncredited)
(1940)
Gaucho Serenade
as New York City Pier Worker
(1940)
One Man's Law
as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
(1940)
Pardon My Berth Marks
as Train Porter
(1940)
Carolina Moon
as Sam (uncredited)
(1940)
I Want a Divorce
as Porter
(1940)
The Biscuit Eater
as Sermon
(1940)
Ride, Tenderfoot, Ride
as Train Porter
(1940)
Seventeen
as Genesis
(1940)
Frontier Vengeance
as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
(1940)
Texas Terrors
as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
(1940)
The Tulsa Kid
as Snowflake - the Cook (as Snowflake)
(1939)
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
as Porter (uncredited)
(1939)
Dodge City
as Willie (uncredited)
(1939)
King of the Turf
as Groom
(1939)
Navy Secrets
as Steve's Shoe-Shiner
(1939)
Daredevils of the Red Circle
as Snowflake
(1939)
Hollywood Cavalcade
as Train Porter
(1938)
Red River Range
as Bellhop (uncredited)
(1938)
Riders of the Black Hills
as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
(1938)
Under the Big Top
as Juba
(1938)
Hawk of the Wilderness
as George
(1938)
The Nightshirt Bandit
as Sam
(1937)
A Star Is Born
as Witness (uncredited)
(1937)
Way Out West
as Janitor
(1937)
Gunsmoke Ranch
as Snowflake (unconfirmed)
(1937)
Youth on Parole
as Redcap (uncredited)
(1937)
(1937)
She Loved a Fireman
as Joe
(1937)
A Day at Santa Anita
as Cloudy (uncredited)
(1937)
Fair Warning
as Porter
(1937)
Smart Blonde
as Redcap Getting Tip (uncredited)
(1937)
Range Defenders
as Cook
(1937)
The Duke Comes Back
as Snowflake
(1937)
Wild Horse Rodeo
as Snowflake
(1937)
Off to the Races
as Ebbie
(1936)
(1936)
The Gorgeous Hussy
as Horatius (uncredited)
(1936)
The Lawless Nineties
as Moses
(1936)
Racing Blood
as Sad Sam
(1936)
Come and Get It
as Snowflake (uncredited)
(1936)
The Lonely Trail
as Snowflake
(1936)
The Green Pastures
as Zubo (uncredited)
(1936)
College Holiday
as Porter (uncredited)
(1936)
Black Gold
as Snowflake
(1936)
Florida Special
as Waiter (uncredited)
(1936)
Palm Springs
as Porter
(1936)
Big Brown Eyes
as Chalky (Uncredited)
(1936)
Gold Diggers of 1937
as Snowflake (uncredited)
(1936)
Born to Fight
as Snowflake
(1936)
Freshman Love
as Mose (uncredited)
(1936)
Desert Justice
as Snowflake - Bank Janitor
(1936)
Aces Wild
as Snowflake
(1936)
Hair-Trigger Casey
as Snowflake
(1936)
Wildcat Saunders
as Snowflake - the Handyman (as Snowflake)
(1936)
Frontier Justice
as Snowflake
(1936)
The Peppery Salt
as Black Henchman
(1936)
Romance in the Air
as Janitor
(1935)
Alibi Ike
as Night Porter
(1935)
Stolen Harmony
as Henry (uncredited)
(1935)
Hands Across the Table
as Snowflake (uncredited)
(1935)
Mississippi
as Leadsman (uncredited)
(1935)
A Night at the Ritz
as Porter (uncredited)
(1935)
Valley of Wanted Men
as Snowflake
(1935)
$10 Raise
as Bootblack (uncredited)
(1935)
Go Into Your Dance
as Snowflake
(1935)
(1935)
(1935)
(1935)
Social Error
as Shadow
(1935)
Love, Honor and Obey (the Law!)
as Phone operator (uncredited)
(1935)
Speed Limited
as Vegas Station Pullman Porter
(1935)
Riddle Ranch
as Snowflake
(1934)
Riptide
as Slick
(1934)
Imitation of Life
as Man at Funeral (uncredited)
(1934)
Palooka
as Smokey (as Snowflake)
(1934)
Twentieth Century
as George Washington Jones (uncredited)
(1934)
Death on the Diamond
as Porter (uncredited)
(1934)
The Gay Bride
as 1st bootblack (uncredited)
(1934)
Woman Haters
as Baggage Handler (uncredited)
(1934)
Woman Haters
as Baggage Man (uncredited)
(1934)
Sleepers East
as Porter (uncredited)
(1934)
Murder in the Private Car
as Titus
(1934)
(1934)
Lady by Choice
as Mose (uncredited)
(1934)
Something Simple
as Taxi Driver
(1934)
Here Comes the Navy
as Cookie (uncredited)
(1934)
Here Comes the Groom
as Porter
(1934)
You Bring the Ducks
as Snowflake
(1934)
Half a Sinner
as Snowflake
(1933)
Gold Diggers of 1933
as Man in "Pettin' in the Park" Number (uncredited)
(1933)
Only Yesterday
as Wall Street Bootblack (Uncredited)
(1933)
Deluge
as Townsman
(1933)
The Mayor of Hell
as Mr. Hemingway (uncredited)
(1933)
Central Airport
as Hotel Porter
(1933)
Saturday's Millions
as Porter
(1933)
Fast Workers
as Mike (Uncredited)
(1933)
Before Midnight
as 1st Taxi Driver
(1933)
The Mind Reader
as Black Man - Shill at Hair Tonic (uncredited)
(1933)
Goodbye Again
as Train Porter (uncredited)
(1933)
Meet the Baron
as Stable Groom (uncredited)
(1933)
King for a Night
as Masseur
(1932)
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
as Marine on Ship (uncredited)
(1932)
American Madness
as Sam (uncredited)
(1932)
The Hurricane Express
as Sam (uncredited)
(1932)
(1932)
Robbers' Roost
as Snowflake
(1932)
A Strange Adventure
as Jeff
(1932)
Out of Singapore
as Snowball, the Ship's Cook
(1932)
Single-Handed Sanders
as Snowflake
(1932)
The County Fair
as Curfew
(1932)
The Cabin in the Cotton
as Ezzy Daniels (uncredited)
(1932)
The Arm of the Law
as Jackson
(1931)
The Galloping Ghost
as Football Fan
(1931)
A Private Scandal
as Snowflake
(1931)
Who's Who in the Zoo
as Park Worker with Harmonica (uncredited)
(1928)
Ladies' Night in a Turkish Bath
as Barbershop Attendant (uncredited)