Acting
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.
Movies with Fred 'Snowflake' Toones
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
1939
The Lost Weekend
1945
A Star Is Born
1937
Central Airport
1933
Dodge City
1939
The Hurricane Express
1932
Riptide
1934
Imitation of Life
1934
Twentieth Century
1934
The Palm Beach Story
1942
Gold Diggers of 1933
1933
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
1932
American Madness
1932
Way Out West
1937
The Gorgeous Hussy
1936
The Mayor of Hell
1933
Two Sisters from Boston
1946
Half a Sinner
1934
Obliging Young Lady
1942
Remember the Night
1940
Deluge
1933
Woman Haters
1934
The Cabin in the Cotton
1932
Gold Diggers of 1937
1936
The Gay Bride
1934
Where There's Life
1947
Freshman Love
1936
Only Yesterday
1933
Hands Across the Table
1935
The Great Man's Lady
1941
Smart Blonde
1937
Mississippi
1935
Murder in the Private Car
1934
Come and Get It
1936
Here Comes the Navy
1934
Fast Workers
1933
Christmas in July
1940
Big Brown Eyes
1936
The Secret of the Whistler
1946
I Want a Divorce
1940
Daredevils of the Red Circle
1939
Meet the Baron
1933
Silver Queen
1942
One Man's Law
1940
Valley of Wanted Men
1935
Navy Secrets
1939
The Lonely Trail
1936
G.I. War Brides
1946
The Galloping Ghost
1931
Social Error
1935
Red River Range
1938
The Green Pastures
1936
King for a Night
1933
Youth on Parole
1937
Desert Justice
1936
Seventeen
1940
Stolen Harmony
1935
Goodbye Again
1933
Death on the Diamond
1934
Pardon My Berth Marks
1940
Before Midnight
1933
Barbary Coast Gent
1944
$10 Raise
1935
Go Into Your Dance
1935
Sleepers West
1941
The Lawless Nineties
1936
Cheers of the Crowd
1935
Golden Hoofs
1941
Gaucho Serenade
1940
Bells of San Angelo
1947
Ladies' Night in a Turkish Bath
1928
Give Out, Sisters
1942
Here Comes the Groom
1934
College Holiday
1936
She Loved a Fireman
1937
Florida Special
1936
The Mind Reader
1933
Hawk of the Wilderness
1938
Groom and Bored
1942
Sleepers East
1934
Fool's Gold
1946
Hollywood Cavalcade
1939
King of the Turf
1939
The Girl on the Front Page
1936
Yodelin' Kid from Pine Ridge
1937
Death Valley Outlaws
1941
The Mystery of the 13th Guest
1943
The Tulsa Kid
1940
Robbers' Roost
1932
A Night at the Ritz
1935
Romance in the Air
1936
Alibi Ike
1935
The Nightshirt Bandit
1938
Fair Warning
1937
Saturday's Millions
1933
Wild Horse Rodeo
1937
Texas Terrors
1940
Raised and Called
1935
Aces Wild
1936
The Duke Comes Back
1937
The County Fair
1932
Gunsmoke Ranch
1937
The Apache Kid
1941
Hidden Valley Outlaws
1944
Off to the Races
1937
A Day at Santa Anita
1937
Lady by Choice
1934
The Biscuit Eater
1940
Riders of the Black Hills
1938
Under the Big Top
1938
A Strange Adventure
1932
Ride, Tenderfoot, Ride
1940
Police Court
1932
Human Targets
1932
Haunted Ranch
1943
A Missouri Outlaw
1941
Palooka
1934
Black Gold
1936
Queen of Broadway
1942
Speed Limited
1935
Carolina Moon
1940
Handy Andy
1934
Who's Superstitious?
1943
Spy Train
1943
The Arm of the Law
1932
Repent at Leisure
1941
Who's Who in the Zoo
1931
Single-Handed Sanders
1932
Back in the Saddle
1941
Two Gun Sheriff
1941
Land of Hunted Men
1943
Palm Springs
1936
Frontier Justice
1936
Out of Singapore
1932
Here Comes Mr. Zerk
1943
Racing Blood
1936
Range Defenders
1937
A Private Scandal
1931
The Peppery Salt
1936
Frontier Vengeance
1940
You Bring the Ducks
1934
Born to Fight
1936
Love, Honor and Obey (the Law!)
1935
Something Simple
1934
Wildcat Saunders
1936
Honeymoon Bridge
1935
Hair-Trigger Casey
1936
Riddle Ranch
1935
