Fred 'Snowflake' Toones
Acting
Born January 5, 1906 ยท North Carolina, USA
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.
Films (146)
Where There's Life
1947
Bells of San Angelo
1947
The Secret of the Whistler
1946
Fool's Gold
1946
G.I. War Brides
1946
Two Sisters from Boston
1946
The Lost Weekend
1945
Barbary Coast Gent
1944
Hidden Valley Outlaws
1944
The Mystery of the 13th Guest
1943
Here Comes Mr. Zerk
1943
Spy Train
1943
Land of Hunted Men
1943
Haunted Ranch
1943
Who's Superstitious?
1943
Queen of Broadway
1942
Silver Queen
1942
The Palm Beach Story
1942
Groom and Bored
1942
Obliging Young Lady
1942
A Missouri Outlaw
1941
The Great Man's Lady
1941
Death Valley Outlaws
1941
The Apache Kid
1941
Two Gun Sheriff
1941
Repent at Leisure
1941
Back in the Saddle
1941
Sleepers West
1941
Golden Hoofs
1941
Texas Terrors
1940
Christmas in July
1940
Frontier Vengeance
1940
I Want a Divorce
1940
Ride, Tenderfoot, Ride
1940
The Tulsa Kid
1940
Carolina Moon
1940
One Man's Law
1940
The Biscuit Eater
1940
Gaucho Serenade
1940
Pardon My Berth Marks
1940
Seventeen
1940
Remember the Night
1940
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
1939
Hollywood Cavalcade
1939
Daredevils of the Red Circle
1939
Dodge City
1939
King of the Turf
1939
Navy Secrets
1939
Red River Range
1938
Hawk of the Wilderness
1938
The Nightshirt Bandit
1938
Under the Big Top
1938
Riders of the Black Hills
1938
She Loved a Fireman
1937
Wild Horse Rodeo
1937
The Duke Comes Back
1937
Youth on Parole
1937
Range Defenders
1937
Yodelin' Kid from Pine Ridge
1937
A Day at Santa Anita
1937
Gunsmoke Ranch
1937
A Star Is Born
1937
Way Out West
1937
Fair Warning
1937
Off to the Races
1937
Smart Blonde
1937
Gold Diggers of 1937
1936
Aces Wild
1936
College Holiday
1936
Racing Blood
1936
Come and Get It
1936
Born to Fight
1936
Frontier Justice
1936
The Girl on the Front Page
1936
The Gorgeous Hussy
1936
The Green Pastures
1936
Palm Springs
1936
The Lonely Trail
1936
Romance in the Air
1936
The Peppery Salt
1936
Florida Special
1936
Desert Justice
1936
Big Brown Eyes
1936
Wildcat Saunders
1936
Hair-Trigger Casey
1936
The Lawless Nineties
1936
Black Gold
1936
Freshman Love
1936
Riddle Ranch
1935
Valley of Wanted Men
1935
Hands Across the Table
1935
Honeymoon Bridge
1935
Cheers of the Crowd
1935
Alibi Ike
1935
$10 Raise
1935
Social Error
1935
Love, Honor and Obey (the Law!)
1935
Stolen Harmony
1935
Go Into Your Dance
1935
A Night at the Ritz
1935
Raised and Called
1935
Mississippi
1935
Speed Limited
1935
The Gay Bride
1934
You Bring the Ducks
1934
Imitation of Life
1934
Lady by Choice
1934
Death on the Diamond
1934
Something Simple
1934
Here Comes the Navy
1934
Handy Andy
1934
Murder in the Private Car
1934
Here Comes the Groom
1934
Half a Sinner
1934
Twentieth Century
1934
Woman Haters
1934
Riptide
1934
Palooka
1934
Sleepers East
1934
King for a Night
1933
Before Midnight
1933
Only Yesterday
1933
Meet the Baron
1933
Saturday's Millions
1933
Goodbye Again
1933
Deluge
1933
The Mayor of Hell
1933
Gold Diggers of 1933
1933
Central Airport
1933
The Mind Reader
1933
Fast Workers
1933
Robbers' Roost
1932
A Strange Adventure
1932
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
1932
The Cabin in the Cotton
1932
Out of Singapore
1932
American Madness
1932
The Hurricane Express
1932
The Arm of the Law
1932
The County Fair
1932
Police Court
1932
Single-Handed Sanders
1932
A Private Scandal
1931
Who's Who in the Zoo
1931
The Galloping Ghost
1931
Ladies' Night in a Turkish Bath
1928