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