Fred 'Snowflake' Toones
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- 5 January 1906 · North Carolina, USA
- Died
- 13 February 1962
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 148
- 1947Where There's Life as Department Store Mover (uncredited)
- 1947Bells of San Angelo as The Cook
- 1946The Secret of the Whistler
- 1946Fool's Gold as Speed
- 1946G.I. War Brides as Pullman Porter (uncredited)
- 1946Two Sisters from Boston as Porter (uncredited)
- 1945The Lost Weekend as Washroom Attendant at Harry & Joe's (uncredited)
- 1944Barbary Coast Gent as Train Porter
- 1944Hidden Valley Outlaws as Snowflake
- 1943The Mystery of the 13th Guest as Joe (uncredited)
- 1943Here Comes Mr. Zerk as Shooting Galley Man
- 1943Spy Train as Pullman Car Porter (as Snowflake)
- 1943Land of Hunted Men as Snowflake
- 1943Haunted Ranch as Sam
- 1943Who's Superstitious? as Dice Player
- 1942Queen of Broadway as Mose (as Snowflake)
- 1942Silver Queen as Butler (uncredited)
- 1942Give Out, Sisters as Nightclub Valet
- 1942The Palm Beach Story as Colored Bartender
- 1942Groom and Bored as Train Porter
- 1942Obliging Young Lady as George - Train Porter (uncredited)
- 1941A Missouri Outlaw as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
- 1941The Great Man's Lady as Pogey
- 1941Death Valley Outlaws as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
- 1941The Apache Kid as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
- 1941Two Gun Sheriff as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
- 1941Repent at Leisure as Rufe
- 1941Back in the Saddle as Train Porter (uncredited)
- 1941Sleepers West as Waiter (uncredited)
- 1941Golden Hoofs as Snowflake
- 1940Texas Terrors as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
- 1940Christmas in July as Sam (uncredited)
- 1940Frontier Vengeance as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
- 1940I Want a Divorce as Porter
- 1940Ride, Tenderfoot, Ride as Train Porter
- 1940The Tulsa Kid as Snowflake - the Cook (as Snowflake)
- 1940Carolina Moon as Sam (uncredited)
- 1940One Man's Law as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
- 1940The Biscuit Eater as Sermon
- 1940Gaucho Serenade as New York City Pier Worker
- 1940Pardon My Berth Marks as Train Porter
- 1940Seventeen as Genesis
- 1940Remember the Night as Rufus
- 1939Mr. Smith Goes to Washington as Porter (uncredited)
- 1939Hollywood Cavalcade as Train Porter
- 1939Daredevils of the Red Circle as Snowflake
- 1939Dodge City as Willie (uncredited)
- 1939King of the Turf as Groom
- 1939Navy Secrets as Steve's Shoe-Shiner
- 1938Red River Range as Bellhop (uncredited)
- 1938Hawk of the Wilderness as George
- 1938The Nightshirt Bandit as Sam
- 1938Under the Big Top as Juba
- 1938Riders of the Black Hills as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
- 1937She Loved a Fireman as Joe
- 1937Wild Horse Rodeo as Snowflake
- 1937The Duke Comes Back as Snowflake
- 1937Youth on Parole as Redcap (uncredited)
- 1937Range Defenders as Cook
- 1937Yodelin' Kid from Pine Ridge as Sam
- 1937A Day at Santa Anita as Cloudy (uncredited)
- 1937Gunsmoke Ranch as Snowflake (unconfirmed)
- 1937A Star Is Born as Witness (uncredited)
- 1937Way Out West as Janitor
- 1937Fair Warning as Porter
- 1937Off to the Races as Ebbie
- 1937Smart Blonde as Redcap Getting Tip (uncredited)
- 1936Gold Diggers of 1937 as Snowflake (uncredited)
- 1936Aces Wild as Snowflake
- 1936College Holiday as Porter (uncredited)
- 1936Racing Blood as Sad Sam
- 1936Come and Get It as Snowflake (uncredited)
- 1936Born to Fight as Snowflake
- 1936Frontier Justice as Snowflake
- 1936The Girl on the Front Page
- 1936The Gorgeous Hussy as Horatius (uncredited)
- 1936The Green Pastures as Zubo (uncredited)
- 1936Palm Springs as Porter
- 1936The Lonely Trail as Snowflake
- 1936Romance in the Air as Janitor
- 1936The Peppery Salt as Black Henchman
- 1936Florida Special as Waiter (uncredited)
- 1936Desert Justice as Snowflake - Bank Janitor
- 1936Big Brown Eyes as Chalky (Uncredited)
- 1936Wildcat Saunders as Snowflake
- 1936Hair-Trigger Casey as Snowflake
- 1936The Lawless Nineties as Moses
- 1936Black Gold as Snowflake
- 1936Freshman Love as Mose (uncredited)
- 1935Riddle Ranch as Snowflake
- 1935Valley of Wanted Men as Snowflake
- 1935Hands Across the Table as Snowflake (uncredited)
- 1935Honeymoon Bridge
- 1935Cheers of the Crowd
- 1935Alibi Ike as Night Porter
- 1935$10 Raise as Bootblack (uncredited)
- 1935Social Error as Shadow
- 1935Love, Honor and Obey (the Law!) as Phone operator (uncredited)
- 1935Stolen Harmony as Henry (uncredited)
- 1935Go Into Your Dance as Snowflake
- 1935A Night at the Ritz as Porter (uncredited)
- 1935Raised and Called
- 1935Mississippi as Leadsman (uncredited)
- 1935Speed Limited as Vegas Station Pullman Porter
- 1934The Gay Bride as 1st bootblack (uncredited)
- 1934You Bring the Ducks as Snowflake
- 1934Imitation of Life as Man at Funeral (uncredited)
- 1934Lady by Choice as Mose (uncredited)
- 1934Death on the Diamond as Porter (uncredited)
- 1934Something Simple as Taxi Driver
- 1934Here Comes the Navy as Cookie (uncredited)
- 1934Handy Andy
- 1934Murder in the Private Car as Titus
- 1934Here Comes the Groom as Porter
- 1934Half a Sinner as Snowflake
- 1934Twentieth Century as George Washington Jones (uncredited)
- 1934Woman Haters as Baggage Man (uncredited)
- 1934Riptide as Slick
- 1934Palooka as Smokey (as Snowflake)
- 1934Sleepers East as Porter (uncredited)
- 1933King for a Night as Masseur
- 1933Before Midnight as 1st Taxi Driver
- 1933Only Yesterday as Wall Street Bootblack (Uncredited)
- 1933Meet the Baron as Stable Groom (uncredited)
- 1933Saturday's Millions as Porter
- 1933Goodbye Again as Train Porter (uncredited)
- 1933Deluge as Townsman
- 1933The Mayor of Hell as Mr. Hemingway (uncredited)
- 1933Gold Diggers of 1933 as Black Man in "Pettin' in the Park" Number (uncredited)
- 1933Central Airport as Hotel Porter
- 1933The Mind Reader as Black Man - Shill at Hair Tonic (uncredited)
- 1933Fast Workers as Mike (Uncredited)
- 1932Robbers' Roost as Snowflake
- 1932A Strange Adventure as Jeff
- 1932I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang as Marine on Ship (uncredited)
- 1932The Cabin in the Cotton as Ezzy Daniels (uncredited)
- 1932Out of Singapore as Snowball, the Ship's Cook
- 1932American Madness as Sam (uncredited)
- 1932The Hurricane Express as Sam (uncredited)
- 1932The Arm of the Law as Jackson
- 1932The County Fair as Curfew
- 1932Police Court
- 1932Single-Handed Sanders as Snowflake
- 1932Human Targets as 'Snowflake'
- 1931A Private Scandal as Snowflake
- 1931Who's Who in the Zoo as Park Worker with Harmonica (uncredited)
- 1931The Galloping Ghost as Football Fan
- 1928Ladies' Night in a Turkish Bath as Barbershop Attendant (uncredited)