Fred '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.
Acted in
Racket Squad
1951
Where There's Life
1947
as Department Store Mover (uncredited)
Bells of San Angelo
1947
as The Cook
Fool's Gold
1946
as Speed
G.I. War Brides
1946
as Pullman Porter (uncredited)
Two Sisters from Boston
1946
as Porter (uncredited)
The Lost Weekend
1945
as Washroom Attendant at Harry & Joe's (uncredited)
Barbary Coast Gent
1944
as Train Porter
Hidden Valley Outlaws
1944
as Snowflake
The Mystery of the 13th Guest
1943
as Joe the Valet (uncredited)
Here Comes Mr. Zerk
1943
as Shooting Galley Man
Spy Train
1943
as Pullman Car Porter (as Snowflake)
Land of Hunted Men
1943
as Snowflake
Haunted Ranch
1943
as Sam
Who's Superstitious?
1943
as Dice Player
Queen of Broadway
1942
as Mose (as Snowflake)
Silver Queen
1942
as Butler (uncredited)
The Palm Beach Story
1942
as Colored Bartender
The Great Man's Lady
1942
as Pogey
Groom and Bored
1942
as Train Porter
Obliging Young Lady
1942
as George - Train Porter (uncredited)
A Missouri Outlaw
1941
as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
Death Valley Outlaws
1941
as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
The Apache Kid
1941
as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
Two Gun Sheriff
1941
as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
Repent at Leisure
1941
as Rufe
Back in the Saddle
1941
as Train Porter (uncredited)
Sleepers West
1941
as Waiter (uncredited)
Golden Hoofs
1941
as Snowflake
Texas Terrors
1940
as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
Christmas in July
1940
as Sam (uncredited)
Frontier Vengeance
1940
as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
I Want a Divorce
1940
as Porter
Ride, Tenderfoot, Ride
1940
as Train Porter
The Tulsa Kid
1940
as Snowflake - the Cook (as Snowflake)
Carolina Moon
1940
as Sam (uncredited)
One Man's Law
1940
as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
The Biscuit Eater
1940
as Sermon
Gaucho Serenade
1940
as New York City Pier Worker
Pardon My Berth Marks
1940
as Train Porter
Seventeen
1940
as Genesis
Remember the Night
1940
as Rufus
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
1939
as Porter (uncredited)
Hollywood Cavalcade
1939
as Train Porter
Daredevils of the Red Circle
1939
as Snowflake
Dodge City
1939
as Willie (uncredited)
King of the Turf
1939
as Groom
Navy Secrets
1939
as Steve's Shoe-Shiner
Red River Range
1938
as Bellhop (uncredited)
Hawk of the Wilderness
1938
as George
The Nightshirt Bandit
1938
as Sam
Under the Big Top
1938
as Juba
Riders of the Black Hills
1938
as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
She Loved a Fireman
1937
as Joe
Wild Horse Rodeo
1937
as Snowflake
The Duke Comes Back
1937
as Snowflake
Youth on Parole
1937
as Redcap (uncredited)
Range Defenders
1937
as Cook
Yodelin' Kid from Pine Ridge
1937
as Sam
A Day at Santa Anita
1937
Gunsmoke Ranch
1937
as Snowflake (unconfirmed)
A Star Is Born
1937
as Witness (uncredited)
Way Out West
1937
as Janitor
Fair Warning
1937
as Porter
Off to the Races
1937
as Ebbie
Smart Blonde
1937
as Redcap Getting Tip (uncredited)
Gold Diggers of 1937
1936
as Snowflake (uncredited)
Aces Wild
1936
as Snowflake
College Holiday
1936
as Porter (uncredited)
Racing Blood
1936
as Sad Sam
Come and Get It
1936
as Snowflake (uncredited)
Born to Fight
1936
as Snowflake
Frontier Justice
1936
as Snowflake
The Girl on the Front Page
1936
The Gorgeous Hussy
1936
as Horatius (uncredited)
The Green Pastures
1936
as Zubo (uncredited)
Palm Springs
1936
as Porter
The Lonely Trail
1936
as Snowflake
The Peppery Salt
1936
as Black Henchman
Desert Justice
1936
as Snowflake - Bank Janitor
Big Brown Eyes
1936
as Chalky (Uncredited)
Wildcat Saunders
1936
as Snowflake - the Handyman (as Snowflake)
Hair-Trigger Casey
1936
as Snowflake
The Lawless Nineties
1936
as Moses
Black Gold
1936
as Snowflake
Freshman Love
1936
as Mose (uncredited)
Riddle Ranch
1935
as Snowflake
Valley of Wanted Men
1935
as Snowflake
Hands Across the Table
1935
as Snowflake (uncredited)
Honeymoon Bridge
1935
Cheers of the Crowd
1935
Alibi Ike
1935
as Night Porter
$10 Raise
1935
as Bootblack (uncredited)
Social Error
1935
as Shadow
Love, Honor and Obey (the Law!)
1935
as Phone operator (uncredited)
Stolen Harmony
1935
as Henry (uncredited)
Go Into Your Dance
1935
as Snowflake
A Night at the Ritz
1935
as Porter (uncredited)
Raised and Called
1935
Speed Limited
1935
as Vegas Station Pullman Porter
The Gay Bride
1934
as 1st bootblack (uncredited)
You Bring the Ducks
1934
as Snowflake
Imitation of Life
1934
as Man at Funeral (uncredited)
Lady by Choice
1934
as Mose (uncredited)
Death on the Diamond
1934
as Porter (uncredited)
Something Simple
1934
as Taxi Driver
Here Comes the Navy
1934
as Cookie (uncredited)
Handy Andy
1934
Murder in the Private Car
1934
as Titus
Here Comes the Groom
1934
as Porter
Half a Sinner
1934
as Snowflake
Twentieth Century
1934
as George Washington Jones (uncredited)
Woman Haters
1934
as Baggage Handler (uncredited)
Riptide
1934
as Slick
Palooka
1934
as Smokey (as Snowflake)
Sleepers East
1934
as Porter (uncredited)
King for a Night
1933
as Masseur
Before Midnight
1933
as 1st Taxi Driver
Only Yesterday
1933
as Wall Street Bootblack (Uncredited)
Meet the Baron
1933
as Stable Groom (uncredited)
Saturday's Millions
1933
as Porter
Goodbye Again
1933
as Train Porter (uncredited)
Deluge
1933
as Townsman
The Mayor of Hell
1933
as Mr. Hemingway (uncredited)
Gold Diggers of 1933
1933
as Man in "Pettin' in the Park" Number (uncredited)
Central Airport
1933
as Hotel Porter
The Mind Reader
1933
as Black Man - Shill at Hair Tonic (uncredited)
Fast Workers
1933
as Mike (Uncredited)
Robbers' Roost
1932
as Snowflake
A Strange Adventure
1932
as Jeff
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
1932
as Marine on Ship (uncredited)
The Cabin in the Cotton
1932
as Ezzy Daniels (uncredited)
Out of Singapore
1932
as Snowball, the Ship's Cook
American Madness
1932
as Sam (uncredited)
The Hurricane Express
1932
as Sam (uncredited)
The Arm of the Law
1932
as Jackson
The County Fair
1932
as Curfew
Police Court
1932
Single-Handed Sanders
1932
as Snowflake
A Private Scandal
1931
as Snowflake
Who's Who in the Zoo
1931
as Park Worker with Harmonica (uncredited)
The Galloping Ghost
1931
as Football Fan
Ladies' Night in a Turkish Bath
1928
as Barbershop Attendant (uncredited)