Fred 'Snowflake' Toones

Fred 'Snowflake' Toones

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.

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Movies starring Fred 'Snowflake' Toones (147)

Where There's Life (1947)

Department Store Mover (Uncredited)

G.I. War Brides (1946)

Pullman Porter (Uncredited)

The Lost Weekend (1945)

Washroom Attendant At Harry & Joe's (Uncredited)

The Mystery of the 13th Guest (1943)

Joe The Valet (Uncredited)

Here Comes Mr. Zerk (1943)

Shooting Galley Man

Spy Train (1943)

Pullman Car Porter (As Snowflake)

Queen of Broadway (1942)

Mose (As Snowflake)

Silver Queen (1942)

Butler (Uncredited)

Obliging Young Lady (1942)

George - Train Porter (Uncredited)

A Missouri Outlaw (1941)

Snowflake (As Snowflake)

Death Valley Outlaws (1941)

Snowflake (As Snowflake)

The Apache Kid (1941)

Snowflake (As Snowflake)

Two Gun Sheriff (1941)

Snowflake (As Snowflake)

Back in the Saddle (1941)

Train Porter (Uncredited)

Sleepers West (1941)

Waiter (Uncredited)

Texas Terrors (1940)

Snowflake (As Snowflake)

Christmas in July (1940)

Sam (Uncredited)

Frontier Vengeance (1940)

Snowflake (As Snowflake)

The Tulsa Kid (1940)

Snowflake - The Cook (As Snowflake)

Carolina Moon (1940)

Sam (Uncredited)

One Man's Law (1940)

Snowflake (As Snowflake)

Gaucho Serenade (1940)

New York City Pier Worker

Dodge City (1939)

Willie (Uncredited)

Navy Secrets (1939)

Steve's Shoe-Shiner

Red River Range (1938)

Bellhop (Uncredited)

Riders of the Black Hills (1938)

Snowflake (As Snowflake)

Youth on Parole (1937)

Redcap (Uncredited)

A Day at Santa Anita (1937)

Cloudy (Uncredited)

Gunsmoke Ranch (1937)

Snowflake (Unconfirmed)

A Star Is Born (1937)

Witness (Uncredited)

Smart Blonde (1937)

Redcap Getting Tip (Uncredited)

Gold Diggers of 1937 (1936)

Snowflake (Uncredited)

College Holiday (1936)

Porter (Uncredited)

Come and Get It (1936)

Snowflake (Uncredited)

The Gorgeous Hussy (1936)

Horatius (Uncredited)

The Green Pastures (1936)

Zubo (Uncredited)

Florida Special (1936)

Waiter (Uncredited)

Desert Justice (1936)

Snowflake - Bank Janitor

Big Brown Eyes (1936)

Chalky (Uncredited)

Freshman Love (1936)

Mose (Uncredited)

Hands Across the Table (1935)

Snowflake (Uncredited)

Alibi Ike (1935)

Night Porter

$10 Raise (1935)

Bootblack (Uncredited)

Love, Honor and Obey (the Law!) (1935)

Phone Operator (Uncredited)

Stolen Harmony (1935)

Henry (Uncredited)

A Night at the Ritz (1935)

Porter (Uncredited)

Mississippi (1935)

Leadsman (Uncredited)

Speed Limited (1935)

Vegas Station Pullman Porter

The Gay Bride (1934)

1St Bootblack (Uncredited)

Imitation of Life (1934)

Man At Funeral (Uncredited)

Lady by Choice (1934)

Mose (Uncredited)

Death on the Diamond (1934)

Porter (Uncredited)

Here Comes the Navy (1934)

Cookie (Uncredited)

Twentieth Century (1934)

George Washington Jones (Uncredited)

Woman Haters (1934)

Baggage Handler (Uncredited)

Palooka (1934)

Smokey (As Snowflake)

Sleepers East (1934)

Porter (Uncredited)

Before Midnight (1933)

1St Taxi Driver

Only Yesterday (1933)

Wall Street Bootblack (Uncredited)

Meet the Baron (1933)

Stable Groom (Uncredited)

Goodbye Again (1933)

Train Porter (Uncredited)

The Mayor of Hell (1933)

Mr. Hemingway (Uncredited)

Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933)

Black Man In "Pettin' In The Park" Number (Uncredited)

The Mind Reader (1933)

Black Man - Shill At Hair Tonic (Uncredited)

Fast Workers (1933)

Mike (Uncredited)

I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932)

Marine On Ship (Uncredited)

The Cabin in the Cotton (1932)

Ezzy Daniels (Uncredited)

Out of Singapore (1932)

Snowball, The Ship's Cook

American Madness (1932)

Sam (Uncredited)

Who's Who in the Zoo (1931)

Park Worker With Harmonica (Uncredited)

Ladies' Night in a Turkish Bath (1928)

Barbershop Attendant (Uncredited)

More Images of Fred 'Snowflake' Toones

Fred 'Snowflake' Toones
Fred 'Snowflake' Toones

Same first name: Fred