Image of Fred 'Snowflake' Toones

Fred 'Snowflake' Toones

Toones is one of the most "colorful" character faces in B-Westerns and cliffhangers. He appeared in over 200 films between 1928 and 1951; and during 1936 and 1947 Toones 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. Toones 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.


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Born:
Jan 5, 1906 In North Carolina, USA
Movie/TV Credits:
143
First Appeared:
In the movie Ladies' Night in a Turkish Bath 1928-03-31
Latest Project:
Series Racket Squad 1951-06-07
Known For
Poster of Hidden Valley Outlaws
Poster of The Biscuit Eater
Poster of You Bring the Ducks
Poster of Robbers' Roost
Filmography
Series Racket Squad Unknown 1951-06-07
Movie Bells of San Angelo The Cook 1947-04-15
Movie Where There's Life Department Store Mover (uncredited) 1947-11-21
Movie Two Sisters from Boston Porter (uncredited) 1946-06-06
Movie The Secret of the Whistler 1946-11-07
Movie Fool's Gold Speed 1946-10-09
Movie The Lost Weekend Washroom Attendant at Harry & Joe's (uncredited) 1945-11-29
Movie Hidden Valley Outlaws Snowflake 1944-04-01
Movie Barbary Coast Gent Train Porter 1944-09-01
Movie Who's Superstitious? Dice Player 1943-01-02
Movie Haunted Ranch Sam 1943-02-19
Movie Land of Hunted Men Snowflake 1943-03-26
Movie The Mystery of the 13th Guest Joe the Valet (uncredited) 1943-11-05
Movie Here Comes Mr. Zerk Shooting Galley Man 1943-07-23
Movie Spy Train Pullman Car Porter (as Snowflake) 1943-07-09
Movie Obliging Young Lady George - Train Porter (uncredited) 1942-04-01
Movie Groom and Bored Train Porter 1942-04-09
Movie The Palm Beach Story Colored Bartender 1942-08-28
Movie Silver Queen Butler (uncredited) 1942-11-14
Movie Queen of Broadway Mose (as Snowflake) 1942-11-24
Movie Repent at Leisure Rufe 1941-04-04
Movie Sleepers West Waiter (uncredited) 1941-03-14
Movie Golden Hoofs Snowflake 1941-02-14
Movie Two Gun Sheriff Snowflake (as Snowflake) 1941-04-09
Movie Back in the Saddle Train Porter (uncredited) 1941-03-14
Movie The Apache Kid Snowflake (as Snowflake) 1941-04-11
Movie The Great Man's Lady Pogey 1941-10-31
Movie A Missouri Outlaw Snowflake (as Snowflake) 1941-11-25
Movie Death Valley Outlaws Snowflake (as Snowflake) 1941-09-26
Movie Gaucho Serenade New York City Pier Worker 1940-05-09
Movie One Man's Law Snowflake (as Snowflake) 1940-06-29
Movie Pardon My Berth Marks Train Porter 1940-03-22
Movie Seventeen Genesis 1940-03-01
Movie Carolina Moon Sam (uncredited) 1940-07-14
Movie Remember the Night Rufus 1940-01-19
Movie The Biscuit Eater Sermon 1940-05-24
Movie Christmas in July Sam (uncredited) 1940-10-25
Movie The Tulsa Kid Snowflake - the Cook (as Snowflake) 1940-08-16
Movie Frontier Vengeance Snowflake (as Snowflake) 1940-10-10
Movie I Want a Divorce Porter 1940-09-20
Movie Texas Terrors Snowflake (as Snowflake) 1940-11-22
Movie Ride, Tenderfoot, Ride Train Porter 1940-09-05
Movie King of the Turf Groom 1939-02-17
Movie Dodge City Willie (uncredited) 1939-04-08
Movie Navy Secrets Steve's Shoe-Shiner 1939-02-08
Movie Daredevils of the Red Circle Snowflake 1939-06-10
Movie Mr. Smith Goes to Washington Porter (uncredited) 1939-10-19
Movie Hollywood Cavalcade Train Porter 1939-10-13
Movie Riders of the Black Hills Snowflake (as Snowflake) 1938-06-15
Movie The Nightshirt Bandit Sam 1938-10-27
Movie Under the Big Top Juba 1938-08-31
Movie Hawk of the Wilderness George 1938-12-03
Movie Red River Range Bellhop (uncredited) 1938-12-22
Movie Way Out West Janitor 1937-04-16
Movie A Star Is Born Witness (uncredited) 1937-04-27
Movie Fair Warning Porter 1937-03-05
Movie Off to the Races Ebbie 1937-02-05
Movie Smart Blonde Redcap Getting Tip (uncredited) 1937-01-02
Movie Gunsmoke Ranch Snowflake (unconfirmed) 1937-05-05
Movie The Duke Comes Back Snowflake 1937-11-29
Movie Wild Horse Rodeo Snowflake 1937-12-06
Movie A Day at Santa Anita 1937-05-22
Movie Youth on Parole Redcap (uncredited) 1937-10-04
Movie She Loved a Fireman Joe 1937-12-18
Movie Range Defenders Cook 1937-06-29
Movie Yodelin' Kid from Pine Ridge Sam 1937-06-14
Movie Big Brown Eyes Chalky (Uncredited) 1936-04-03
Movie Desert Justice Snowflake - Bank Janitor 1936-04-26
Movie The Peppery Salt Black Henchman 1936-05-15
Movie Palm Springs Porter 1936-06-05
Movie The Lonely Trail Snowflake 1936-05-25
Movie Black Gold Snowflake 1936-01-19
Movie Freshman Love Mose (uncredited) 1936-01-18
Movie The Lawless Nineties Moses 1936-02-15
Movie Hair-Trigger Casey Snowflake 1936-03-01
Movie Wildcat Saunders Snowflake - the Handyman (as Snowflake) 1936-03-04
Movie Born to Fight Snowflake 1936-11-02
Movie College Holiday Porter (uncredited) 1936-12-19
Movie Gold Diggers of 1937 Snowflake (uncredited) 1936-12-28
Movie The Green Pastures Zubo (uncredited) 1936-08-01
Movie Racing Blood Sad Sam 1936-11-14
Movie Aces Wild Snowflake 1936-12-21
Movie Come and Get It Snowflake (uncredited) 1936-11-06
Movie The Girl on the Front Page 1936-09-26
Movie The Gorgeous Hussy Horatius (uncredited) 1936-08-28
Movie Frontier Justice Snowflake 1936-10-01
Movie Go Into Your Dance Snowflake 1935-04-20
Movie Stolen Harmony Henry (uncredited) 1935-04-20
Movie A Night at the Ritz Porter (uncredited) 1935-03-23
Movie Mississippi Leadsman (uncredited) 1935-03-22
Movie Speed Limited Vegas Station Pullman Porter 1935-01-12
Movie Love, Honor and Obey (the Law!) Phone operator (uncredited) 1935-04-29
Movie Alibi Ike Night Porter 1935-06-15
Movie Social Error Shadow 1935-04-30
Movie Riddle Ranch Snowflake 1935-12-03
Movie Valley of Wanted Men Snowflake 1935-10-19
Movie Hands Across the Table Snowflake (uncredited) 1935-10-18
Movie Honeymoon Bridge 1935-10-02
Movie Cheers of the Crowd 1935-08-05
Movie Half a Sinner Snowflake 1934-06-01
Movie Murder in the Private Car Titus 1934-06-29
Movie Twentieth Century George Washington Jones (uncredited) 1934-05-11
Movie Sleepers East Porter (uncredited) 1934-01-01
Movie Handy Andy 1934-07-19
Movie Palooka Smokey (as Snowflake) 1934-01-26
Movie Riptide Slick 1934-03-29
Movie Woman Haters Baggage Handler (uncredited) 1934-05-05
Movie Here Comes the Groom Porter 1934-06-21
Movie Imitation of Life Man at Funeral (uncredited) 1934-11-23
Movie The Gay Bride 1st bootblack (uncredited) 1934-12-14
Movie Here Comes the Navy Cookie (uncredited) 1934-07-21
Movie Lady by Choice Mose (uncredited) 1934-10-15
Movie You Bring the Ducks Snowflake 1934-11-24
Movie Death on the Diamond Porter (uncredited) 1934-09-14
Movie Dames Train Porter 1934-09-01
Movie Something Simple Taxi Driver 1934-09-08
Movie Deluge Townsman 1933-08-17
Movie The Mayor of Hell Mr. Hemingway (uncredited) 1933-06-24
Movie The Mind Reader Black Man - Shill at Hair Tonic (uncredited) 1933-04-01
Movie Goodbye Again Train Porter (uncredited) 1933-09-09
Movie Fast Workers Mike (Uncredited) 1933-03-10
Movie Central Airport Hotel Porter 1933-04-15
Movie Gold Diggers of 1933 Man in "Pettin' in the Park" Number (uncredited) 1933-05-27
Movie Before Midnight 1st Taxi Driver 1933-11-18
Movie Stage Mother Porter 1933-09-29
Movie Only Yesterday Wall Street Bootblack (Uncredited) 1933-11-01
Movie King for a Night Masseur 1933-12-09
Movie Meet the Baron Stable Groom (uncredited) 1933-10-20
Movie Saturday's Millions Porter 1933-09-30
Movie The Arm of the Law Jackson 1932-04-19
Movie The County Fair Curfew 1932-03-31
Movie Police Court 1932-02-19
Movie The Hurricane Express Sam (uncredited) 1932-08-01
Movie Single-Handed Sanders Snowflake 1932-02-10
Movie The Cabin in the Cotton Ezzy Daniels (uncredited) 1932-09-26
Movie Robbers' Roost Snowflake 1932-12-30
Movie American Madness Sam (uncredited) 1932-08-15
Movie A Strange Adventure Jeff 1932-11-20
Movie I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang Marine on Ship (uncredited) 1932-11-09
Movie Out of Singapore Snowball, the Ship's Cook 1932-09-23
Movie The Galloping Ghost Football Fan 1931-09-01
Movie A Private Scandal Snowflake 1931-12-30
Movie Ladies' Night in a Turkish Bath Barbershop Attendant (uncredited) 1928-03-31