Acting
Fred 'Snowflake' Toones
EN cinema · 149 credits
Born
5 January 1906
Died
13 February 1962 (aged 56)
Birthplace
North Carolina, USA
Also known as 'Snowflake' · Snowflake · Snow Flake · Fred S. Toones · Fred Toones · 'Snowflake' Toones
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
Bells of San Angelo
as The Cook
Where There's Life
as Department Store Mover (uncredited)
G.I. War Brides
as Pullman Porter (uncredited)
Fool's Gold
as Speed
Two Sisters from Boston
as Porter (uncredited)
The Lost Weekend
as Washroom Attendant at Harry & Joe's (uncredited)
Hidden Valley Outlaws
as Snowflake
Barbary Coast Gent
as Train Porter
The Mystery of the 13th Guest
as Joe (uncredited)
Here Comes Mr. Zerk
as Shooting Galley Man
Who's Superstitious?
as Dice Player
Land of Hunted Men
as Snowflake
Spy Train
as Pullman Car Porter (as Snowflake)
The Palm Beach Story
as Colored Bartender
Groom and Bored
as Train Porter
Queen of Broadway
as Mose (as Snowflake)
Silver Queen
as Butler (uncredited)
Obliging Young Lady
as George - Train Porter (uncredited)
Give Out, Sisters
as Nightclub Valet
The Great Man's Lady
as Pogey
A Missouri Outlaw
as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
The Apache Kid
as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
Back in the Saddle
as Train Porter (uncredited)
Death Valley Outlaws
as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
Two Gun Sheriff
as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
Golden Hoofs
as Snowflake
Sleepers West
as Waiter (uncredited)
Christmas in July
as Sam (uncredited)
Remember the Night
as Rufus
Carolina Moon
as Sam (uncredited)
Seventeen
as Genesis
I Want a Divorce
as Porter
Pardon My Berth Marks
as Train Porter
Ride, Tenderfoot, Ride
as Train Porter
Gaucho Serenade
as New York City Pier Worker
The Biscuit Eater
as Sermon
Texas Terrors
as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
The Tulsa Kid
as Snowflake - the Cook (as Snowflake)
One Man's Law
as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
Frontier Vengeance
as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
as Porter (uncredited)
King of the Turf
as Groom
Daredevils of the Red Circle
as Snowflake
Hollywood Cavalcade
as Train Porter
Dodge City
as Willie (uncredited)
Navy Secrets
as Steve's Shoe-Shiner
Red River Range
as Bellhop (uncredited)
Hawk of the Wilderness
as George
Riders of the Black Hills
as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
A Star Is Born
as Witness (uncredited)
Off to the Races
as Ebbie
Gunsmoke Ranch
as Snowflake (unconfirmed)
The Duke Comes Back
as Snowflake
Youth on Parole
as Redcap (uncredited)
Wild Horse Rodeo
as Snowflake
Range Defenders
as Cook
A Day at Santa Anita
as Cloudy (uncredited)
Smart Blonde
as Redcap Getting Tip (uncredited)
Fair Warning
as Porter
Way Out West
as Janitor
Desert Justice
as Snowflake - Bank Janitor
The Peppery Salt
1936
The Peppery Salt
as Black Henchman
The Lawless Nineties
as Moses
The Gorgeous Hussy
as Horatius (uncredited)
Frontier Justice
as Snowflake
The Lonely Trail
as Snowflake
Hair-Trigger Casey
as Snowflake
Black Gold
as Snowflake
Born to Fight
as Snowflake
Racing Blood
as Sad Sam
College Holiday
as Porter (uncredited)
Aces Wild
as Snowflake
Palm Springs
as Porter
The Green Pastures
as Zubo (uncredited)
Freshman Love
as Mose (uncredited)
Wildcat Saunders
as Snowflake
Come and Get It
as Snowflake (uncredited)
Gold Diggers of 1937
as Snowflake (uncredited)
Big Brown Eyes
as Chalky (Uncredited)
Florida Special
as Waiter (uncredited)
Romance in the Air
as Janitor
Riddle Ranch
as Snowflake
Valley of Wanted Men
as Snowflake
$10 Raise
as Bootblack (uncredited)
Speed Limited
as Vegas Station Pullman Porter
Stolen Harmony
as Henry (uncredited)
Alibi Ike
as Night Porter
Social Error
as Shadow
Hands Across the Table
as Snowflake (uncredited)
Love, Honor and Obey (the Law!)
as Phone operator (uncredited)
A Night at the Ritz
as Porter (uncredited)
Go Into Your Dance
as Snowflake
Mississippi
as Leadsman (uncredited)
Woman Haters
as Baggage Handler (uncredited), as Baggage Man (uncredited)
Here Comes the Groom
as Porter
Palooka
as Smokey (as Snowflake)
Lady by Choice
as Mose (uncredited)
Sleepers East
as Porter (uncredited)
Death on the Diamond
as Porter (uncredited)
The Gay Bride
as 1st bootblack (uncredited)
Twentieth Century
as George Washington Jones (uncredited)
Half a Sinner
as Snowflake
Imitation of Life
as Man at Funeral (uncredited)
Riptide
as Slick
Here Comes the Navy
as Cookie (uncredited)
Something Simple
as Taxi Driver
The Mayor of Hell
as Mr. Hemingway (uncredited)
Goodbye Again
as Train Porter (uncredited)
The Mind Reader
as Black Man - Shill at Hair Tonic (uncredited)
Before Midnight
as 1st Taxi Driver
King for a Night
as Masseur
Fast Workers
as Mike (Uncredited)
Meet the Baron
as Stable Groom (uncredited)
Gold Diggers of 1933
as Black Man in "Pettin' in the Park" Number (uncredited)
Saturday's Millions
as Porter
Central Airport
as Hotel Porter
Only Yesterday
as Wall Street Bootblack (Uncredited)
Deluge
as Townsman
Gabriel Over the White House
as Sylvester (uncredited)
Out of Singapore
as Snowball, the Ship's Cook
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
as Marine on Ship (uncredited)
The Hurricane Express
as Sam (uncredited)
The Cabin in the Cotton
as Ezzy Daniels (uncredited)
Robbers' Roost
as Snowflake
The County Fair
as Curfew
American Madness
as Sam (uncredited)
Single-Handed Sanders
as Snowflake
The Arm of the Law
as Jackson
Human Targets
as 'Snowflake'
The Galloping Ghost
as Football Fan
A Private Scandal
as Snowflake
Who's Who in the Zoo
as Park Worker with Harmonica (uncredited)
Ladies' Night in a Turkish Bath
as Barbershop Attendant (uncredited)