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.

Cast

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

(Porter (uncredited))

A Star Is Born

(Witness (uncredited))

Off to the Races

(Ebbie)

The Palm Beach Story

(Colored Bartender)

Christmas in July

(Sam (uncredited))

Remember the Night

(Rufus)

Desert Justice

(Snowflake - Bank Janitor)

Honeymoon Bridge

Riddle Ranch

(Snowflake)

Gunsmoke Ranch

(Snowflake (unconfirmed))

G.I. War Brides

(Pullman Porter (uncredited))

Bells of San Angelo

(The Cook)

Carolina Moon

(Sam (uncredited))

The Peppery Salt

(Black Henchman)

The Mayor of Hell

(Mr. Hemingway (uncredited))

The Great Man's Lady

(Pogey)

The Lawless Nineties

(Moses)

The Gorgeous Hussy

(Horatius (uncredited))

Woman Haters

(Baggage Handler (uncredited))

Frontier Justice

(Snowflake)

The Galloping Ghost

(Football Fan)

The Mystery of the 13th Guest

(Joe the Valet (uncredited))

Red River Range

(Bellhop (uncredited))

The Lonely Trail

(Snowflake)

Valley of Wanted Men

(Snowflake)

Hair-Trigger Casey

(Snowflake)

The Duke Comes Back

(Snowflake)

Seventeen

(Genesis)

Black Gold

(Snowflake)

Born to Fight

(Snowflake)

Racing Blood

(Sad Sam)

King of the Turf

(Groom)

Raised and Called

A Private Scandal

(Snowflake)

I Want a Divorce

(Porter)

Hawk of the Wilderness

(George)

Daredevils of the Red Circle

(Snowflake)

$10 Raise

(Bootblack (uncredited))

Goodbye Again

(Train Porter (uncredited))

Out of Singapore

(Snowball, the Ship's Cook)

Yodelin' Kid from Pine Ridge

(Sam)

College Holiday

(Porter (uncredited))

Youth on Parole

(Redcap (uncredited))

Wild Horse Rodeo

(Snowflake)

Who's Who in the Zoo

(Park Worker with Harmonica (uncredited))

Under the Big Top

(Juba)

Range Defenders

(Cook)

The Mind Reader

(Black Man - Shill at Hair Tonic (uncredited))

Ladies' Night in a Turkish Bath

(Barbershop Attendant (uncredited))

Murder in the Private Car

(Titus)

Where There's Life

(Department Store Mover (uncredited))

Here Comes the Groom

(Porter)

Aces Wild

(Snowflake)

Fool's Gold

(Speed)

A Day at Santa Anita

Before Midnight

(1st Taxi Driver)

Palooka

(Smokey (as Snowflake))

Speed Limited

(Vegas Station Pullman Porter)

Palm Springs

(Porter)

Hollywood Cavalcade

(Train Porter)

Stolen Harmony

(Henry (uncredited))

King for a Night

(Masseur)

Repent at Leisure

(Rufe)

Dodge City

(Willie (uncredited))

Cheers of the Crowd

She Loved a Fireman

(Joe)

Pardon My Berth Marks

(Train Porter)

Ride, Tenderfoot, Ride

(Train Porter)

Alibi Ike

(Night Porter)

The Lost Weekend

(Washroom Attendant at Harry & Joe's (uncredited))

A Missouri Outlaw

(Snowflake (as Snowflake))

The Apache Kid

(Snowflake (as Snowflake))

Back in the Saddle

(Train Porter (uncredited))

Social Error

(Shadow)

Fast Workers

(Mike (Uncredited))

A Strange Adventure

(Jeff)

Here Comes Mr. Zerk

(Shooting Galley Man)

Smart Blonde

(Redcap Getting Tip (uncredited))

The Green Pastures

(Zubo (uncredited))

Groom and Bored

(Train Porter)

I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang

(Marine on Ship (uncredited))

Hands Across the Table

(Snowflake (uncredited))

Freshman Love

(Mose (uncredited))

Love, Honor and Obey (the Law!)

(Phone operator (uncredited))

Gaucho Serenade

(New York City Pier Worker)

A Night at the Ritz

(Porter (uncredited))

The Biscuit Eater

(Sermon)

Who's Superstitious?

(Dice Player)

Meet the Baron

(Stable Groom (uncredited))

The Girl on the Front Page

Texas Terrors

(Snowflake (as Snowflake))

The Tulsa Kid

(Snowflake - the Cook (as Snowflake))

Death Valley Outlaws

(Snowflake (as Snowflake))

One Man's Law

(Snowflake (as Snowflake))

Land of Hunted Men

(Snowflake)

Frontier Vengeance

(Snowflake (as Snowflake))

Queen of Broadway

(Mose (as Snowflake))

Two Gun Sheriff

(Snowflake (as Snowflake))

Hidden Valley Outlaws

(Snowflake)

Haunted Ranch

(Sam)

Fair Warning

(Porter)

Silver Queen

(Butler (uncredited))

Gold Diggers of 1933

(Man in "Pettin' in the Park" Number (uncredited))

Lady by Choice

(Mose (uncredited))

Wildcat Saunders

(Snowflake - the Handyman (as Snowflake))

Spy Train

(Pullman Car Porter (as Snowflake))

Sleepers East

(Porter (uncredited))

The Hurricane Express

(Sam (uncredited))

Riders of the Black Hills

(Snowflake (as Snowflake))

Death on the Diamond

(Porter (uncredited))

Barbary Coast Gent

(Train Porter)

Saturday's Millions

(Porter)

Golden Hoofs

(Snowflake)

The Cabin in the Cotton

(Ezzy Daniels (uncredited))

Obliging Young Lady

(George - Train Porter (uncredited))

You Bring the Ducks

(Snowflake)

Robbers' Roost

(Snowflake)

The Gay Bride

(1st bootblack (uncredited))

Central Airport

(Hotel Porter)

Come and Get It

(Snowflake (uncredited))

Twentieth Century

(George Washington Jones (uncredited))

Go Into Your Dance

(Snowflake)

Half a Sinner

(Snowflake)

Only Yesterday

(Wall Street Bootblack (Uncredited))

Imitation of Life

(Man at Funeral (uncredited))

Navy Secrets

(Steve's Shoe-Shiner)

Two Sisters from Boston

(Porter (uncredited))

Gold Diggers of 1937

(Snowflake (uncredited))

Sleepers West

(Waiter (uncredited))

Riptide

(Slick)

Deluge

(Townsman)

The County Fair

(Curfew)

Police Court

The Nightshirt Bandit

(Sam)

Big Brown Eyes

(Chalky (Uncredited))

Way Out West

(Janitor)

Here Comes the Navy

(Cookie (uncredited))

American Madness

(Sam (uncredited))

Handy Andy

Single-Handed Sanders

(Snowflake)

Something Simple

(Taxi Driver)

The Arm of the Law

(Jackson)

The Secret of the Whistler

Mississippi

(Leadsman (uncredited))

Racket Squad