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