FT
Fred 'Snowflake' Toones
Actor
Born January 5, 1906Died February 13, 1962 (56 years)
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.
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.
Movies & Shows on Plex
Filmography
| 1986 | Laurel & Hardy (TV Series) · as Janitor (1986) |
| 1950 | Racket Squad (TV Series) |
| 1947 | Where There's Life · as Department Store Mover (uncredited) |
| 1947 | The Road to Hollywood · as Actor - Harem Scene From 'dream House' |
| 1947 | The Crimson Key · as Club Bartender |
| 1947 | Bells of San Angelo · as The Cook |
| 1946 | |
| 1946 | Fool's Gold · as Speed |
| 1946 | No Leave, No Love · as Red Cap Porter |
| 1946 | Centennial Summer · as Redcap |
| 1946 | Two Sisters from Boston · as Porter (uncredited) |
| 1946 | Two Smart People · as Clarence |
| 1946 | The Runaround · as Porter |
| 1946 | The Hoodlum Saint · as Pullman Porter |
| 1945 | The Lost Weekend · as Washroom Attendant At Harry & Joe's (uncredited) |
| 1945 | Man Alive · as Pianist |
| 1945 | Jungle Queen · as Native |
| 1944 | Barbary Coast Gent · as Train Porter |
| 1944 | Johnny Doesn't Live Here Anymore · as Train Porter |
| 1944 | The Yellow Rose of Texas · as Wylie |
| 1944 | Meet the People · as Charlie |
| 1944 | Hidden Valley Outlaws · as Snowflake |
| 1944 | |
| 1943 | Whistling in Brooklyn · as Fan |
| 1943 | The Mystery of the 13th Guest · as Joe The Valet (uncredited) |
| 1943 | Spy Train · as Pullman Car Porter (as Snowflake) |
| 1943 | Land of Hunted Men · as Snowflake |
| 1943 | Haunted Ranch · as Sam |
| 1942 | Queen of Broadway · as Mose (as Snowflake) |
| 1942 | Silver Queen · as Butler (uncredited) |
| 1942 | The Palm Beach Story · as Colored Bartender |
| 1942 | Give Out, Sisters · as Nightclub Valet |
| 1942 | Enemy Agents Meet Ellery Queen · as Train Porter |
| 1942 | Raiders of the West · as George Washington Abraham Lincoln 'snowflake' Jones |
| 1942 | Obliging Young Lady · as George - Train Porter (uncredited) |
| 1941 | The Great Man's Lady · as Pogey |
| 1941 | Sun Valley Serenade · as Porter |
| 1941 | The Great American Broadcast · as Railroad Porter |
| 1941 | The People vs. Dr. Kildare · as Black Father |
| 1941 | Penny Serenade · as Porter |
| 1941 | Repent at Leisure · as Rufe |
| 1941 | Sleepers West · as Waiter (uncredited) |
| 1941 | Back in the Saddle · as Train Porter (uncredited) |
| 1941 | Golden Hoofs · as Snowflake |
| 1941 | Tall, Dark and Handsome · as Bootblack |
| 1941 | Ridin' on a Rainbow · as Handyman |
| 1940 | Texas Terrors · as Snowflake (as Snowflake) |
| 1940 | Christmas in July · as Sam (uncredited) |
| 1940 | I Want a Divorce · as Porter |
| 1940 | Ride, Tenderfoot, Ride · as Train Porter |
| 1940 | The Tulsa Kid · as Snowflake - The Cook (as Snowflake) |
| 1940 | Carolina Moon · as Sam (uncredited) |
| 1940 | The Biscuit Eater · as Sermon |
| 1940 | Gaucho Serenade · as New York City Pier Worker |
| 1939 | Remember the Night · as Rufus |
| 1939 | Rovin' Tumbleweeds · as Porter |
| 1939 | Mr. Smith Goes to Washington · as Porter (uncredited) |
| 1939 | Hollywood Cavalcade · as Train Porter |
| 1939 | Daredevils of the Red Circle · as Snowflake |
| 1939 | Dodge City · as Willie (uncredited) |
| 1939 | Mexicali Rose · as Cook |
| 1939 | Navy Secrets · as Steve's Shoe-Shiner |
| 1938 | Red River Range · as Bellhop (uncredited) |
| 1938 | Ride a Crooked Mile · as Tovarish |
| 1938 | Hawk of the Wilderness · as George |
| 1938 | Under the Big Top · as Juba |
| 1938 | Gold Mine in the Sky · as Camp Cook |
| 1938 | Port of Missing Girls · as Misery - Aka Dismal |
| 1937 | Exiled to Shanghai · as Train Porter |
| 1937 | She Loved a Fireman · as Joe |
| 1937 | The Mysterious Pilot · as Jubal |
| 1937 | Wild Horse Rodeo · as Snowflake |
| 1937 | The Duke Comes Back · as Snowflake |
| 1937 | Youth on Parole · as Redcap (uncredited) |
| 1937 | Heroes of the Alamo · as Luke |
| 1937 | Range Defenders · as Cook |
| 1937 | Yodelin' Kid from Pine Ridge · as Sam |
| 1937 | Tough to Handle · as Snowflake |
| 1937 | Gunsmoke Ranch · as Snowflake (unconfirmed) |
| 1937 | A Star Is Born · as Witness (uncredited) |
| 1937 | Way Out West · as Janitor |
| 1937 | Fair Warning · as Porter |
| 1936 | Smart Blonde · as Redcap Getting Tip (uncredited) |
| 1936 | Gold Diggers of 1937 · as Snowflake (uncredited) |
| 1936 | A Man Betrayed · as Sam |
| 1936 | Come and Get It · as Snowflake (uncredited) |
| 1936 | Aces Wild · as Snowflake |
| 1936 | College Holiday · as Porter (uncredited) |
| 1936 | Racing Blood · as Sad Sam |
| 1936 | Born to Fight · as Snowflake |
| 1936 | |
| 1936 | Bulldog Edition · as Washington Jones |
| 1936 | The Gorgeous Hussy · as Horatius (uncredited) |
| 1936 | Oh, Susanna! · as Train Porter |
| 1936 | The Green Pastures · as Zubo (uncredited) |
| 1936 | Poor Little Rich Girl · as 2nd Redcap Porter |
| 1936 | Palm Springs · as Porter |
| 1936 | The Lonely Trail · as Snowflake |
| 1936 | The Singing Cowboy · as Cowhorn Trio Leader |
| 1936 | Desert Justice · as Snowflake - Bank Janitor |
| 1936 | Florida Special · as Waiter |
| 1936 | Big Brown Eyes · as Chalky (uncredited) |
| 1936 | Wildcat Saunders · as Snowflake - The Handyman (as Snowflake) |
| 1936 | Hair-Trigger Casey · as Snowflake |
| 1936 | The Lawless Nineties · as Moses |
| 1936 | Black Gold · as Snowflake |
| 1935 | The Invisible Ray · as Native First Seeing Rukh Glow |
| 1935 | Freshman Love · as Mose (uncredited) |
| 1935 | Man of Iron · as Country Club Locker Room Attendant |
| 1935 | Riddle Ranch · as Snowflake |
| 1935 | Valley of Wanted Men · as Snowflake |
| 1935 | Hands Across the Table · as Snowflake (uncredited) |
| 1935 | Frontier Justice · as Snowflake |
| 1935 | The Big Broadcast of 1936 · as Shoeshine Boy |
| 1935 | |
| 1935 | Alibi Ike · as Night Porter |
| 1935 | What Price Crime · as Snowflake |
| 1935 | Social Error · as Shadow |
| 1935 | Go Into Your Dance · as Snowflake |
| 1935 | Stolen Harmony · as Henry (uncredited) |
| 1935 | A Night at the Ritz · as Porter (uncredited) |
| 1935 | Mississippi · as Leadsman (uncredited) |
| 1934 | The Gay Bride · as 1st Bootblack (uncredited) |
| 1934 | Imitation of Life · as Man At Funeral (uncredited) |
| 1934 | Lady by Choice · as Mose (uncredited) |
| 1934 | Death on the Diamond · as Porter (uncredited) |
| 1934 | Dames · as Porter |
| 1934 | |
| 1934 | Here Comes the Navy · as Cookie (uncredited) |
| 1934 | Murder in the Private Car · as Titus |
| 1934 | Operator 13 · as Slave At Medicine Show |
| 1934 | The Mystic Hour · as Snowball |
| 1934 | Twentieth Century · as George Washington Jones (uncredited) |
| 1934 | Woman Haters · as Baggage Handler (uncredited) |
| 1934 | Riptide · as Slick |
| 1934 | Palooka · as Smokey (as Snowflake) |
| 1934 | Fugitive Lovers · as Man Driving During Escape |
| 1933 | King for a Night · as Masseur |
| 1933 | The Women in His Life · as Doorman At The Spot |
| 1933 | Before Midnight · as 1st Taxi Driver |
| 1933 | Good-bye Love · as Jail Steward |
| 1933 | Only Yesterday · as Wall Street Bootblack (uncredited) |
| 1933 | Meet the Baron · as Stable Groom (uncredited) |
| 1933 | Saturday's Millions · as Porter |
| 1933 | Goodbye Again · as Train Porter (uncredited) |
| 1933 | Deluge · as Townsman |
| 1933 | Don't Bet on Love · as Snowflake |
| 1933 | The Mayor of Hell · as Mr. Hemingway (uncredited) |
| 1933 | The Silk Express · as Snowflake |
| 1933 | Gold Diggers of 1933 · as Man In "pettin' In The Park" Number (uncredited) |
| 1933 | Central Airport · as Hotel Porter |
| 1933 | The Mind Reader · as Black Man - Shill At Hair Tonic (uncredited) |
| 1933 | Gabriel Over the White House · as Sylvester |
| 1933 | Fast Workers · as Mike (uncredited) |
| 1932 | Robbers' Roost · as Snowflake |
| 1932 | A Strange Adventure · as Jeff |
| 1932 | I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang · as Marine On Ship (uncredited) |
| 1932 | The Cabin in the Cotton · as Ezzy Daniels (uncredited) |
| 1932 | Hat Check Girl · as Fred Driver |
| 1932 | Out of Singapore · as Snowball, The Ship's Cook |
| 1932 | American Madness · as Sam (uncredited) |
| 1932 | The Hurricane Express · as Sam (uncredited) |
| 1932 | Flames · as Janitor |
| 1932 | |
| 1932 | Single-Handed Sanders · as Snowflake |
| 1932 | Mark of the Spur · as Ranch Cook |
| 1932 | Human Targets · as 'snowflake' |
| 1931 | A Private Scandal · as Snowflake |
| 1931 | The Galloping Ghost · as Football Fan |