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