Cast
Fred 'Snowflake' Toones
Acting
Cast
Fred 'Snowflake' Toones
Known for
Acting
Born
1906-01-05
From
North Carolina, USA
Died
1962-02-13
Also known as 'Snowflake', Snowflake, Snow Flake
Biography
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.
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
as Porter (uncredited)
Central Airport
as Hotel Porter
American Madness
as Sam (uncredited)
The Lost Weekend
as Washroom Attendant at Harry & Joe's (uncredited)
Stolen Harmony
as Henry (uncredited)
Golden Hoofs
as Snowflake
Mississippi
as Leadsman (uncredited)
A Star Is Born
as Witness (uncredited)
Dodge City
as Willie (uncredited)
Racing Blood
as Sad Sam
Police Court
Christmas in July
as Sam (uncredited)
Here Comes the Groom
as Porter
Deluge
as Townsman
Sleepers West
as Waiter (uncredited)
Haunted Ranch
as Sam
Imitation of Life
as Man at Funeral (uncredited)
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
as Marine on Ship (uncredited)
The Palm Beach Story
as Colored Bartender
Gold Diggers of 1933
as Black Man in "Pettin' in the Park" Number (uncredited)
The Lawless Nineties
as Moses
Twentieth Century
as George Washington Jones (uncredited)
Social Error
as Shadow
Two Sisters from Boston
as Porter (uncredited)
Only Yesterday
as Wall Street Bootblack (Uncredited)
Navy Secrets
as Steve's Shoe-Shiner
Come and Get It
as Snowflake (uncredited)
Way Out West
as Janitor
Hollywood Cavalcade
as Train Porter
Big Brown Eyes
as Chalky (Uncredited)
Remember the Night
as Rufus
Where There's Life
as Department Store Mover (uncredited)
Freshman Love
as Mose (uncredited)
Daredevils of the Red Circle
as Snowflake
Smart Blonde
as Redcap Getting Tip (uncredited)
Youth on Parole
as Redcap (uncredited)
Gold Diggers of 1937
as Snowflake (uncredited)
The Hurricane Express
as Sam (uncredited)
The Cabin in the Cotton
as Ezzy Daniels (uncredited)
G.I. War Brides
as Pullman Porter (uncredited)
Riptide
as Slick
Hands Across the Table
as Snowflake (uncredited)
Handy Andy
The Secret of the Whistler
The Gorgeous Hussy
as Horatius (uncredited)
Obliging Young Lady
as George - Train Porter (uncredited)
Go Into Your Dance
as Snowflake
Alibi Ike
as Night Porter
The Great Man's Lady
as Pogey
Here Comes the Navy
as Cookie (uncredited)
Red River Range
as Bellhop (uncredited)
Silver Queen
as Butler (uncredited)
Here Comes Mr. Zerk
as Shooting Galley Man
Repent at Leisure
as Rufe
The Gay Bride
as 1st bootblack (uncredited)
Bells of San Angelo
as The Cook
$10 Raise
as Bootblack (uncredited)
The Mayor of Hell
as Mr. Hemingway (uncredited)
Sleepers East
as Porter (uncredited)
Gaucho Serenade
as New York City Pier Worker
Fair Warning
as Porter
Ladies' Night in a Turkish Bath
as Barbershop Attendant (uncredited)
The Mind Reader
as Black Man - Shill at Hair Tonic (uncredited)
Human Targets
as 'Snowflake'
Before Midnight
as 1st Taxi Driver
Wild Horse Rodeo
as Snowflake
Murder in the Private Car
as Titus
King for a Night
as Masseur
The Lonely Trail
as Snowflake
Goodbye Again
as Train Porter (uncredited)
A Night at the Ritz
as Porter (uncredited)
The Girl on the Front Page
The Mystery of the 13th Guest
as Joe the Valet (uncredited)
Palooka
as Smokey (as Snowflake)
Fast Workers
as Mike (Uncredited)
One Man's Law
as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
Yodelin' Kid from Pine Ridge
as Sam
Half a Sinner
as Snowflake
Hawk of the Wilderness
as George
Death on the Diamond
as Porter (uncredited)
Hidden Valley Outlaws
as Snowflake
The Green Pastures
as Zubo (uncredited)
Black Gold
as Snowflake
Robbers' Roost
as Snowflake
Palm Springs
as Porter
Texas Terrors
as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
Woman Haters
as Baggage Handler (uncredited)
Woman Haters
as Baggage Man (uncredited)
The County Fair
as Curfew
College Holiday
as Porter (uncredited)
Under the Big Top
as Juba
Wildcat Saunders
as Snowflake
I Want a Divorce
as Porter
Florida Special
as Waiter (uncredited)
Meet the Baron
as Stable Groom (uncredited)
A Day at Santa Anita
as Cloudy (uncredited)
Pardon My Berth Marks
as Train Porter
King of the Turf
as Groom
Give Out, Sisters
as Nightclub Valet
Honeymoon Bridge
Cheers of the Crowd
Something Simple
as Taxi Driver
Born to Fight
as Snowflake
Barbary Coast Gent
as Train Porter
Off to the Races
as Ebbie
Lady by Choice
as Mose (uncredited)
Range Defenders
as Cook
The Biscuit Eater
as Sermon
Riders of the Black Hills
as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
Ride, Tenderfoot, Ride
as Train Porter
The Duke Comes Back
as Snowflake
Queen of Broadway
as Mose (as Snowflake)
A Missouri Outlaw
as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
Saturday's Millions
as Porter
The Nightshirt Bandit
as Sam
Seventeen
as Genesis
Frontier Justice
as Snowflake
Out of Singapore
as Snowball, the Ship's Cook
Gunsmoke Ranch
as Snowflake (unconfirmed)
Who's Superstitious?
as Dice Player
The Galloping Ghost
as Football Fan
She Loved a Fireman
as Joe
Romance in the Air
as Janitor
Spy Train
as Pullman Car Porter (as Snowflake)
You Bring the Ducks
as Snowflake
Land of Hunted Men
as Snowflake
Groom and Bored
as Train Porter
A Private Scandal
as Snowflake
Single-Handed Sanders
as Snowflake
Aces Wild
as Snowflake
Fool's Gold
as Speed
Carolina Moon
as Sam (uncredited)
The Tulsa Kid
as Snowflake - the Cook (as Snowflake)
Frontier Vengeance
as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
Who's Who in the Zoo
as Park Worker with Harmonica (uncredited)
A Strange Adventure
as Jeff
Back in the Saddle
as Train Porter (uncredited)
The Arm of the Law
as Jackson
The Apache Kid
as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
Death Valley Outlaws
as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
Raised and Called
Riddle Ranch
as Snowflake
Hair-Trigger Casey
as Snowflake
Two Gun Sheriff
as Snowflake (as Snowflake)
Speed Limited
as Vegas Station Pullman Porter
Valley of Wanted Men
as Snowflake
The Peppery Salt
as Black Henchman
Love, Honor and Obey (the Law!)
as Phone operator (uncredited)
Desert Justice
as Snowflake - Bank Janitor