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
Acting
1939
asPorter (uncredited)
1937
asWitness (uncredited)
1937
asEbbie
1942
asColored Bartender
1940
asSam (uncredited)
1940
asRufus
1936
asSnowflake - Bank Janitor
1935
as
1935
asSnowflake
1937
asSnowflake (unconfirmed)
1946
asPullman Porter (uncredited)
1947
asThe Cook
1940
asSam (uncredited)
1936
asBlack Henchman
1933
asMr. Hemingway (uncredited)
1941
asPogey
1936
asMoses
1936
asHoratius (uncredited)
1934
asBaggage Handler (uncredited)
1936
asSnowflake
1931
asFootball Fan
1943
asJoe the Valet (uncredited)
1938
asBellhop (uncredited)
1936
asSnowflake
1935
asSnowflake
1936
asSnowflake
1937
asSnowflake
1940
asGenesis
1936
asSnowflake
1936
asSnowflake
1936
asSad Sam
1939
asGroom
1935
as
1931
asSnowflake
1938
asGeorge
1940
asPorter
1939
asSnowflake
1935
asBootblack (uncredited)
1933
asTrain Porter (uncredited)
1932
asSnowball, the Ship's Cook
1937
asSam
1936
asPorter (uncredited)
1937
asRedcap (uncredited)
1937
asSnowflake
1931
asPark Worker with Harmonica (uncredited)
1938
asJuba
1937
asCook
1933
asBlack Man - Shill at Hair Tonic (uncredited)
1928
asBarbershop Attendant (uncredited)
1934
asTitus
1947
asDepartment Store Mover (uncredited)
1934
asPorter
1936
asSnowflake
1946
asSpeed
1937
asCloudy (uncredited)
1933
as1st Taxi Driver
1934
asSmokey (as Snowflake)
1935
asVegas Station Pullman Porter
1939
asTrain Porter
1936
asPorter
1935
asHenry (uncredited)
1933
asMasseur
1941
asRufe
1939
asWillie (uncredited)
1935
as
1937
asJoe
1940
asTrain Porter
1940
asTrain Porter
1935
asNight Porter
1945
asWashroom Attendant at Harry & Joe's (uncredited)
1941
asSnowflake (as Snowflake)
1941
asSnowflake (as Snowflake)
1941
asTrain Porter (uncredited)
1935
asShadow
1933
asMike (Uncredited)
1932
asJeff
1943
asShooting Galley Man
1937
asRedcap Getting Tip (uncredited)
1936
asZubo (uncredited)
1942
asTrain Porter
1932
asMarine on Ship (uncredited)
1935
asSnowflake (uncredited)
1940
asNew York City Pier Worker
1936
asMose (uncredited)
1935
asPhone operator (uncredited)
1935
asPorter (uncredited)
1940
asSermon
1943
asDice Player
1933
asStable Groom (uncredited)
1936
as
1940
asSnowflake (as Snowflake)
1940
asSnowflake - the Cook (as Snowflake)
1941
asSnowflake (as Snowflake)
1940
asSnowflake (as Snowflake)
1943
asSnowflake
1940
asSnowflake (as Snowflake)
1942
asMose (as Snowflake)
1941
asSnowflake (as Snowflake)
1944
asSnowflake
1943
asSam
1937
asPorter
1942
asButler (uncredited)
1933
asMan in "Pettin' in the Park" Number (uncredited)
1934
asPorter (uncredited)
1934
asMose (uncredited)
1943
asPullman Car Porter (as Snowflake)
1936
asSnowflake - the Handyman (as Snowflake)
1932
asSam (uncredited)
1938
asSnowflake (as Snowflake)
1934
asPorter (uncredited)
1944
asTrain Porter
1933
asPorter
1941
asSnowflake
1932
asEzzy Daniels (uncredited)
1942
asGeorge - Train Porter (uncredited)
1934
asSnowflake
1932
asSnowflake
1934
as1st bootblack (uncredited)
1933
asHotel Porter
1936
asSnowflake (uncredited)
1934
asGeorge Washington Jones (uncredited)
1935
asSnowflake
1934
asSnowflake
1933
asWall Street Bootblack (Uncredited)
1934
asMan at Funeral (uncredited)
1939
asSteve's Shoe-Shiner
1946
asPorter (uncredited)
1936
asSnowflake (uncredited)
1941
asWaiter (uncredited)
1934
asSlick
1933
asTownsman
1932
asCurfew
1932
as
1938
asSam
1936
asChalky (Uncredited)
1937
asJanitor
1934
asCookie (uncredited)
1932
asSam (uncredited)
1934
as
1932
asSnowflake
1934
asTaxi Driver
1932
asJackson
1946
as
1935
asLeadsman (uncredited)
1934
asBaggage Man (uncredited)
asProduction
Crew
Directing
