Known For
Acting
Born
Jan 05, 1906
Died
Feb 13, 1962
Place of Birth
North Carolina, USA
Credits
149 titles
Fred 'Snowflake' Toones
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.
Known For
Filmography
Racket Squad
Where There's Life
Department Store Mover (uncredited)
Bells of San Angelo
The Cook
The Secret of the Whistler
Fool's Gold
Speed
G.I. War Brides
Pullman Porter (uncredited)
Two Sisters from Boston
Porter (uncredited)
The Lost Weekend
Washroom Attendant at Harry & Joe's (uncredited)
Barbary Coast Gent
Train Porter
Hidden Valley Outlaws
Snowflake
The Mystery of the 13th Guest
Joe (uncredited)
Here Comes Mr. Zerk
Shooting Galley Man
Spy Train
Pullman Car Porter (as Snowflake)
Land of Hunted Men
Snowflake
Haunted Ranch
Sam
Who's Superstitious?
Dice Player
Queen of Broadway
Mose (as Snowflake)
Silver Queen
Butler (uncredited)
Give Out, Sisters
Nightclub Valet
The Palm Beach Story
Colored Bartender
Groom and Bored
Train Porter
Obliging Young Lady
George - Train Porter (uncredited)
A Missouri Outlaw
Snowflake (as Snowflake)
The Great Man's Lady
Pogey
Death Valley Outlaws
Snowflake (as Snowflake)
The Apache Kid
Snowflake (as Snowflake)
Two Gun Sheriff
Snowflake (as Snowflake)
Repent at Leisure
Rufe
Sleepers West
Waiter (uncredited)
Back in the Saddle
Train Porter (uncredited)
Golden Hoofs
Snowflake
Texas Terrors
Snowflake (as Snowflake)
Christmas in July
Sam (uncredited)
Frontier Vengeance
Snowflake (as Snowflake)
I Want a Divorce
Porter
Ride, Tenderfoot, Ride
Train Porter
The Tulsa Kid
Snowflake - the Cook (as Snowflake)
Carolina Moon
Sam (uncredited)
One Man's Law
Snowflake (as Snowflake)
The Biscuit Eater
Sermon
Gaucho Serenade
New York City Pier Worker
Pardon My Berth Marks
Train Porter
Seventeen
Genesis
Remember the Night
Rufus
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Porter (uncredited)
Hollywood Cavalcade
Train Porter
Daredevils of the Red Circle
Snowflake
Dodge City
Willie (uncredited)
King of the Turf
Groom
Navy Secrets
Steve's Shoe-Shiner