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.
Acted in 146
1940s
- 1947
Where There's Life
Department Store Mover (uncredited)
- 1946
The Secret of the Whistler
Movie
Fool's Gold
Speed
G.I. War Brides
Pullman Porter (uncredited)
Two Sisters from Boston
Porter (uncredited)
- 1945
- 1944
Barbary Coast Gent
Train Porter
Hidden Valley Outlaws
Snowflake
- 1943
The Mystery of the 13th Guest
Joe (uncredited)
Here Comes Mr. Zerk
Shooting Galley Man
Spy Train
Pullman Car Porter (as Snowflake)
Land of Hunted Men
Snowflake
Haunted Ranch
Sam
Who's Superstitious?
Dice Player
- 1942
Queen of Broadway
Mose (as Snowflake)
Give Out, Sisters
Nightclub Valet
Groom and Bored
Train Porter
Obliging Young Lady
George - Train Porter (uncredited)
- 1941
A Missouri Outlaw
Snowflake (as Snowflake)
The Great Man's Lady
Pogey
Death Valley Outlaws
Snowflake (as Snowflake)
The Apache Kid
Snowflake (as Snowflake)
Two Gun Sheriff
Snowflake (as Snowflake)
Repent at Leisure
Rufe
Back in the Saddle
Train Porter (uncredited)
Sleepers West
Waiter (uncredited)
Golden Hoofs
Snowflake
- 1940
Texas Terrors
Snowflake (as Snowflake)
Christmas in July
Sam (uncredited)
Frontier Vengeance
Snowflake (as Snowflake)
I Want a Divorce
Porter
Ride, Tenderfoot, Ride
Train Porter
The Tulsa Kid
Snowflake - the Cook (as Snowflake)
Carolina Moon
Sam (uncredited)
One Man's Law
Snowflake (as Snowflake)
The Biscuit Eater
Sermon
Gaucho Serenade
New York City Pier Worker
Pardon My Berth Marks
Train Porter
Seventeen
Genesis
1930s
- 1939
Hollywood Cavalcade
Train Porter
Daredevils of the Red Circle
Snowflake
King of the Turf
Groom
Navy Secrets
Steve's Shoe-Shiner
- 1938
Red River Range
Bellhop (uncredited)
Hawk of the Wilderness
George
The Nightshirt Bandit
Sam
Under the Big Top
Juba
Riders of the Black Hills
Snowflake (as Snowflake)
- 1937
She Loved a Fireman
Joe
Wild Horse Rodeo
Snowflake
The Duke Comes Back
Snowflake
Youth on Parole
Redcap (uncredited)
Range Defenders
Cook
Yodelin' Kid from Pine Ridge
Sam
A Day at Santa Anita
Cloudy (uncredited)
Gunsmoke Ranch
Snowflake (unconfirmed)
Fair Warning
Porter
Off to the Races
Ebbie
Smart Blonde
Redcap Getting Tip (uncredited)
- 1936
Gold Diggers of 1937
Snowflake (uncredited)
Aces Wild
Snowflake
College Holiday
Porter (uncredited)
Racing Blood
Sad Sam
Born to Fight
Snowflake
Frontier Justice
Snowflake
The Girl on the Front Page
Movie
The Gorgeous Hussy
Horatius (uncredited)
The Green Pastures
Zubo (uncredited)
Palm Springs
Porter
The Lonely Trail
Snowflake
Romance in the Air
Janitor
Florida Special
Waiter (uncredited)
Desert Justice
Snowflake - Bank Janitor
Big Brown Eyes
Chalky (Uncredited)
Wildcat Saunders
Snowflake
The Lawless Nineties
Moses
Black Gold
Snowflake
Freshman Love
Mose (uncredited)
- 1935
Riddle Ranch
Snowflake
Hands Across the Table
Snowflake (uncredited)
Cheers of the Crowd
Movie
Alibi Ike
Night Porter
$10 Raise
Bootblack (uncredited)
Love, Honor and Obey (the Law!)
Phone operator (uncredited)
Stolen Harmony
Henry (uncredited)
Go Into Your Dance
Snowflake
A Night at the Ritz
Porter (uncredited)
Mississippi
Leadsman (uncredited)
Speed Limited
Vegas Station Pullman Porter
- 1934
The Gay Bride
1st bootblack (uncredited)
Imitation of Life
Man at Funeral (uncredited)
Lady by Choice
Mose (uncredited)
Death on the Diamond
Porter (uncredited)
Something Simple
Taxi Driver
Here Comes the Navy
Cookie (uncredited)
Handy Andy
Movie
Murder in the Private Car
Titus
Here Comes the Groom
Porter
Half a Sinner
Snowflake
Woman Haters
Baggage Handler (uncredited), Baggage Man (uncredited)
Palooka
Smokey (as Snowflake)
Sleepers East
Porter (uncredited)
- 1933
King for a Night
Masseur
Before Midnight
1st Taxi Driver
Only Yesterday
Wall Street Bootblack (Uncredited)
Meet the Baron
Stable Groom (uncredited)
Saturday's Millions
Porter
Goodbye Again
Train Porter (uncredited)
Deluge
Townsman
Central Airport
Hotel Porter
The Mind Reader
Black Man - Shill at Hair Tonic (uncredited)
Gabriel Over the White House
Sylvester (uncredited)
Fast Workers
Mike (Uncredited)
- 1932
Robbers' Roost
Snowflake
A Strange Adventure
Jeff
The Cabin in the Cotton
Ezzy Daniels (uncredited)
Out of Singapore
Snowball, the Ship's Cook
American Madness
Sam (uncredited)
The Hurricane Express
Sam (uncredited)
The Arm of the Law
Jackson
The County Fair
Curfew
Police Court
Movie
Single-Handed Sanders
Snowflake
Human Targets
'Snowflake'
- 1931
A Private Scandal
Snowflake
Who's Who in the Zoo
Park Worker with Harmonica (uncredited)
The Galloping Ghost
Football Fan
1920s
- 1928
Ladies' Night in a Turkish Bath
Barbershop Attendant (uncredited)