Fred 'Snowflake' Toones
Acting
🎂 1906-01-05
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.
Cast credits(148)
1951
Rufus
1940
Porter (uncredited)
1939
The Cook
1947
Washroom Attendant at Harry & Joe's (uncredited)
1945
Witness (uncredited)
1937
Man at Funeral (uncredited)
1934
Janitor
1937
Willie (uncredited)
1939
Sam (uncredited)
1940
Man in "Pettin' in the Park" Number (uncredited)
1933
Marine on Ship (uncredited)
1932
Department Store Mover (uncredited)
1947
Butler (uncredited)
1942
Colored Bartender
1942
George Washington Jones (uncredited)
1934
Chalky (Uncredited)
1936
Townsman
1933
Train Porter
1939
Slick
1934
Snowflake (uncredited)
1936
Snowflake (uncredited)
1936
Sam (uncredited)
1932
Waiter (uncredited)
1941
Sam (uncredited)
1932
Wall Street Bootblack (Uncredited)
1933
Mike (Uncredited)
1933
Henry (uncredited)
1935
Porter (uncredited)
1946
Leadsman (uncredited)
1935
Redcap Getting Tip (uncredited)
1937
Sam
1943
Waiter (uncredited)
1936
Porter (uncredited)
1934
Horatius (uncredited)
1936
Pullman Car Porter (as Snowflake)
1943
Mr. Hemingway (uncredited)
1933
Porter
1934
Titus
1934
Pullman Porter (uncredited)
1946
1936
Snowflake (as Snowflake)
1938
Porter (uncredited)
1936
Snowflake
1937
Cookie (uncredited)
1934
Moses
1936
Bellhop (uncredited)
1938
Pogey
1941
Snowball, the Ship's Cook
1932
Bootblack (uncredited)
1935
Snowflake (uncredited)
1935
1934
Zubo (uncredited)
1936
Joe the Valet (uncredited)
1943
Smokey (as Snowflake)
1934
Cook
1937
George - Train Porter (uncredited)
1942
1932
Sermon
1940
Train Porter (uncredited)
1933
Mose (uncredited)
1936
1st bootblack (uncredited)
1934
Ezzy Daniels (uncredited)
1932
Snowflake - the Cook (as Snowflake)
1940
Mose (uncredited)
1934
Snowflake
1935
Snowflake
1936
Black Man - Shill at Hair Tonic (uncredited)
1933
Snowflake (as Snowflake)
1941
Hotel Porter
1933
Snowflake - Bank Janitor
1936
Rufe
1941
Snowflake (as Snowflake)
1941
Snowflake
1935
Porter
1937
Snowflake
1936
Redcap (uncredited)
1937
Groom
1939
Snowflake
1935
Snowflake
1936
Snowflake
1939
Football Fan
1931
Shadow
1935
Snowflake
1943
Sad Sam
1936
Snowflake
1944
Snowflake
1936
Ebbie
1937
Porter (uncredited)
1934
Snowflake
1937
1st Taxi Driver
1933
Jackson
1932
Snowflake
1941
Joe
1937
Cloudy (uncredited)
1937
Masseur
1933
Snowflake
1932
Snowflake (unconfirmed)
1937
Snowflake (as Snowflake)
1941
Genesis
1940
1935
Night Porter
1935
Porter
1936
Snowflake (as Snowflake)
1940
Speed
1946
1946
Stable Groom (uncredited)
1933
Jeff
1932
Baggage Handler (uncredited)
1934
Mose (as Snowflake)
1942
Baggage Man (uncredited)
1934
Porter (uncredited)
1935
Snowflake
1936
Sam (uncredited)
1940
Porter
1933
Snowflake
1932
Snowflake (as Snowflake)
1940
Park Worker with Harmonica (uncredited)
1931
1935
Snowflake - the Handyman (as Snowflake)
1936
Juba
1938
New York City Pier Worker
1940
Snowflake
1934
Sam
1937
Taxi Driver
1934
Janitor
1936
Snowflake (as Snowflake)
1941
1935
Train Porter
1940
Train Porter
1944
Train Porter
1940
Steve's Shoe-Shiner
1939
Train Porter (uncredited)
1941
Sam
1938
Barbershop Attendant (uncredited)
1928
Snowflake
1936
George
1938
Curfew
1932
Snowflake
1931
Porter
1940
Train Porter
1942
Black Henchman
1936
Snowflake (as Snowflake)
1940
Vegas Station Pullman Porter
1935
Shooting Galley Man
1943
Dice Player
1943
Snowflake
1934
Phone operator (uncredited)
1935