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.
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.
External links
IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/nm0867560
Wikipedia: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3086962
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Filmography (Movies)
Where There's Life
Character:Department Store Mover (uncredited)
Release Date:21/11/1947
Bells of San Angelo
Character:The Cook
Release Date:15/04/1947
The Secret of the Whistler
Character:
Release Date:07/11/1946
Fool's Gold
Character:Speed
Release Date:09/10/1946
G.I. War Brides
Character:Pullman Porter (uncredited)
Release Date:12/08/1946
Two Sisters from Boston
Character:Porter (uncredited)
Release Date:06/06/1946
The Lost Weekend
Character:Washroom Attendant at Harry & Joe's (uncredited)
Release Date:29/11/1945
Barbary Coast Gent
Character:Train Porter
Release Date:01/09/1944
Hidden Valley Outlaws
Character:Snowflake
Release Date:01/04/1944
The Mystery of the 13th Guest
Character:Joe the Valet (uncredited)
Release Date:05/11/1943
Here Comes Mr. Zerk
Character:Shooting Galley Man
Release Date:23/07/1943
Spy Train
Character:Pullman Car Porter (as Snowflake)
Release Date:09/07/1943
Land of Hunted Men
Character:Snowflake
Release Date:26/03/1943
Haunted Ranch
Character:Sam
Release Date:19/02/1943
Who's Superstitious?
Character:Dice Player
Release Date:02/01/1943
Queen of Broadway
Character:Mose (as Snowflake)
Release Date:24/11/1942
Silver Queen
Character:Butler (uncredited)
Release Date:14/11/1942
The Palm Beach Story
Character:Colored Bartender
Release Date:28/08/1942
Groom and Bored
Character:Train Porter
Release Date:09/04/1942
Obliging Young Lady
Character:George - Train Porter (uncredited)
Release Date:01/04/1942
A Missouri Outlaw
Character:Snowflake (as Snowflake)
Release Date:25/11/1941
The Great Man's Lady
Character:Pogey
Release Date:31/10/1941
Death Valley Outlaws
Character:Snowflake (as Snowflake)
Release Date:26/09/1941
The Apache Kid
Character:Snowflake (as Snowflake)
Release Date:11/04/1941
Two Gun Sheriff
Character:Snowflake (as Snowflake)
Release Date:09/04/1941
Repent at Leisure
Character:Rufe
Release Date:04/04/1941
Back in the Saddle
Character:Train Porter (uncredited)
Release Date:14/03/1941
Sleepers West
Character:Waiter (uncredited)
Release Date:14/03/1941
Golden Hoofs
Character:Snowflake
Release Date:14/02/1941
Texas Terrors
Character:Snowflake (as Snowflake)
Release Date:22/11/1940
Christmas in July
Character:Sam (uncredited)
Release Date:25/10/1940
Frontier Vengeance
Character:Snowflake (as Snowflake)
Release Date:10/10/1940
I Want a Divorce
Character:Porter
Release Date:20/09/1940
Ride, Tenderfoot, Ride
Character:Train Porter
Release Date:05/09/1940
The Tulsa Kid
Character:Snowflake - the Cook (as Snowflake)
Release Date:16/08/1940
Carolina Moon
Character:Sam (uncredited)
Release Date:14/07/1940
One Man's Law
Character:Snowflake (as Snowflake)
Release Date:29/06/1940
The Biscuit Eater
Character:Sermon
Release Date:24/05/1940
Gaucho Serenade
Character:New York City Pier Worker
Release Date:09/05/1940
Pardon My Berth Marks
Character:Train Porter
Release Date:22/03/1940
Seventeen
Character:Genesis
Release Date:01/03/1940
Remember the Night
Character:Rufus
Release Date:19/01/1940
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Character:Porter (uncredited)
Release Date:19/10/1939
Hollywood Cavalcade
Character:Train Porter
Release Date:13/10/1939
Daredevils of the Red Circle
Character:Snowflake
Release Date:10/06/1939
Dodge City
Character:Willie (uncredited)
Release Date:08/04/1939
King of the Turf
Character:Groom
Release Date:17/02/1939
Navy Secrets
Character:Steve's Shoe-Shiner
Release Date:08/02/1939
Red River Range
Character:Bellhop (uncredited)
Release Date:22/12/1938
Hawk of the Wilderness
Character:George
Release Date:03/12/1938
The Nightshirt Bandit
Character:Sam
Release Date:27/10/1938
Under the Big Top
Character:Juba
Release Date:31/08/1938
Riders of the Black Hills
Character:Snowflake (as Snowflake)
Release Date:15/06/1938
She Loved a Fireman
Character:Joe
Release Date:18/12/1937
Wild Horse Rodeo
Character:Snowflake
Release Date:06/12/1937
The Duke Comes Back
Character:Snowflake
Release Date:29/11/1937
Youth on Parole
Character:Redcap (uncredited)
Release Date:04/10/1937
Range Defenders
Character:Cook
Release Date:29/06/1937
Yodelin' Kid from Pine Ridge
Character:Sam
Release Date:14/06/1937
A Day at Santa Anita
Character:Cloudy (uncredited)
Release Date:22/05/1937
Gunsmoke Ranch
Character:Snowflake (unconfirmed)
Release Date:05/05/1937
A Star Is Born
Character:Witness (uncredited)
Release Date:20/04/1937
Way Out West
Character:Janitor
Release Date:16/04/1937
Fair Warning
Character:Porter
Release Date:05/03/1937
Off to the Races
Character:Ebbie
Release Date:05/02/1937
Smart Blonde
Character:Redcap Getting Tip (uncredited)
Release Date:02/01/1937
Gold Diggers of 1937
Character:Snowflake (uncredited)
Release Date:28/12/1936
Aces Wild
Character:Snowflake
Release Date:21/12/1936
College Holiday
Character:Porter (uncredited)
Release Date:19/12/1936
Racing Blood
Character:Sad Sam
Release Date:14/11/1936
Come and Get It
Character:Snowflake (uncredited)
Release Date:06/11/1936
Born to Fight
Character:Snowflake
Release Date:02/11/1936
Frontier Justice
Character:Snowflake
Release Date:01/10/1936
The Girl on the Front Page
Character:
Release Date:26/09/1936
The Gorgeous Hussy
Character:Horatius (uncredited)
Release Date:28/08/1936
The Green Pastures
Character:Zubo (uncredited)
Release Date:01/08/1936
Palm Springs
Character:Porter
Release Date:05/06/1936
The Lonely Trail
Character:Snowflake
Release Date:25/05/1936
Romance in the Air
Character:Janitor
Release Date:16/05/1936
The Peppery Salt
Character:Black Henchman
Release Date:15/05/1936
Florida Special
Character:Waiter (uncredited)
Release Date:01/05/1936
Desert Justice
Character:Snowflake - Bank Janitor
Release Date:26/04/1936
Big Brown Eyes
Character:Chalky (Uncredited)
Release Date:03/04/1936
Wildcat Saunders
Character:Snowflake
Release Date:04/03/1936
Hair-Trigger Casey
Character:Snowflake
Release Date:01/03/1936
The Lawless Nineties
Character:Moses
Release Date:15/02/1936
Black Gold
Character:Snowflake
Release Date:19/01/1936
Freshman Love
Character:Mose (uncredited)
Release Date:18/01/1936
Riddle Ranch
Character:Snowflake
Release Date:03/12/1935
Valley of Wanted Men
Character:Snowflake
Release Date:19/10/1935
Hands Across the Table
Character:Snowflake (uncredited)
Release Date:18/10/1935
Honeymoon Bridge
Character:
Release Date:02/10/1935
Cheers of the Crowd
Character:
Release Date:05/08/1935
Alibi Ike
Character:Night Porter
Release Date:15/06/1935
$10 Raise
Character:Bootblack (uncredited)
Release Date:04/05/1935
Social Error
Character:Shadow
Release Date:30/04/1935
Love, Honor and Obey (the Law!)
Character:Phone operator (uncredited)
Release Date:29/04/1935
Stolen Harmony
Character:Henry (uncredited)
Release Date:20/04/1935
Go Into Your Dance
Character:Snowflake
Release Date:20/04/1935
A Night at the Ritz
Character:Porter (uncredited)
Release Date:23/03/1935
Raised and Called
Character:
Release Date:22/03/1935
Mississippi
Character:Leadsman (uncredited)
Release Date:22/03/1935
Speed Limited
Character:Vegas Station Pullman Porter
Release Date:12/01/1935
The Gay Bride
Character:1st bootblack (uncredited)
Release Date:14/12/1934
You Bring the Ducks
Character:Snowflake
Release Date:24/11/1934
Imitation of Life
Character:Man at Funeral (uncredited)
Release Date:23/11/1934
Lady by Choice
Character:Mose (uncredited)
Release Date:15/10/1934
Death on the Diamond
Character:Porter (uncredited)
Release Date:14/09/1934
Something Simple
Character:Taxi Driver
Release Date:08/09/1934
Here Comes the Navy
Character:Cookie (uncredited)
Release Date:21/07/1934
Handy Andy
Character:
Release Date:19/07/1934
Murder in the Private Car
Character:Titus
Release Date:29/06/1934
Here Comes the Groom
Character:Porter
Release Date:21/06/1934
Half a Sinner
Character:Snowflake
Release Date:01/06/1934
Twentieth Century
Character:George Washington Jones (uncredited)
Release Date:11/05/1934
Woman Haters
Character:Baggage Handler (uncredited)
Release Date:05/05/1934
Woman Haters
Character:Baggage Man (uncredited)
Release Date:05/05/1934
Riptide
Character:Slick
Release Date:29/03/1934
Palooka
Character:Smokey (as Snowflake)
Release Date:26/01/1934
Sleepers East
Character:Porter (uncredited)
Release Date:01/01/1934
King for a Night
Character:Masseur
Release Date:09/12/1933
Before Midnight
Character:1st Taxi Driver
Release Date:18/11/1933
Only Yesterday
Character:Wall Street Bootblack (Uncredited)
Release Date:01/11/1933
Meet the Baron
Character:Stable Groom (uncredited)
Release Date:20/10/1933
Saturday's Millions
Character:Porter
Release Date:30/09/1933
Goodbye Again
Character:Train Porter (uncredited)
Release Date:09/09/1933
Deluge
Character:Townsman
Release Date:17/08/1933
The Mayor of Hell
Character:Mr. Hemingway (uncredited)
Release Date:24/06/1933
Gold Diggers of 1933
Character:Man in "Pettin' in the Park" Number (uncredited)
Release Date:27/05/1933
Central Airport
Character:Hotel Porter
Release Date:15/04/1933
The Mind Reader
Character:Black Man - Shill at Hair Tonic (uncredited)
Release Date:01/04/1933
Fast Workers
Character:Mike (Uncredited)
Release Date:10/03/1933
Robbers' Roost
Character:Snowflake
Release Date:30/12/1932
A Strange Adventure
Character:Jeff
Release Date:20/11/1932
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
Character:Marine on Ship (uncredited)
Release Date:09/11/1932
The Cabin in the Cotton
Character:Ezzy Daniels (uncredited)
Release Date:26/09/1932
Out of Singapore
Character:Snowball, the Ship's Cook
Release Date:23/09/1932
American Madness
Character:Sam (uncredited)
Release Date:15/08/1932
The Hurricane Express
Character:Sam (uncredited)
Release Date:01/08/1932
The Arm of the Law
Character:Jackson
Release Date:19/04/1932
The County Fair
Character:Curfew
Release Date:31/03/1932
Police Court
Character:
Release Date:19/02/1932
Single-Handed Sanders
Character:Snowflake
Release Date:10/02/1932
A Private Scandal
Character:Snowflake
Release Date:30/12/1931
Who's Who in the Zoo
Character:Park Worker with Harmonica (uncredited)
Release Date:11/10/1931
The Galloping Ghost
Character:Football Fan
Release Date:01/09/1931
Ladies' Night in a Turkish Bath
Character:Barbershop Attendant (uncredited)
Release Date:31/03/1928
Television Appearances
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