
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.
149 acting credits
Acting · 149

Racket Squad
1951

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
1939

Gold Diggers of 1933
1933

The Lost Weekend
1945

A Star Is Born
1937

Dodge City
1939

Sleepers West
1941

Twentieth Century
1934

Here Comes the Groom
1934

Imitation of Life
1934

The Palm Beach Story
1942

I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
1932

Daredevils of the Red Circle
1939

American Madness
1932

G.I. War Brides
1946

Gold Diggers of 1937
1936

Way Out West
1937

Big Brown Eyes
1936

Freshman Love
1936

Christmas in July
1940

Remember the Night
1940

Hands Across the Table
1935

The Cabin in the Cotton
1932

Deluge
1933

Gaucho Serenade
1940

Mississippi
1935

Here Comes the Navy
1934

Come and Get It
1936

The Lawless Nineties
1936

Two Sisters from Boston
1946

Hollywood Cavalcade
1939

Navy Secrets
1939

The Lonely Trail
1936

$10 Raise
1935

The Mayor of Hell
1933

Palooka
1934

Only Yesterday
1933

Silver Queen
1942

Central Airport
1933

College Holiday
1936

Gunsmoke Ranch
1937

Riptide
1934

Death on the Diamond
1934

Golden Hoofs
1941

Red River Range
1938

The Gorgeous Hussy
1936

Stolen Harmony
1935

The Gay Bride
1934

Smart Blonde
1937

Alibi Ike
1935

The Mind Reader
1933

The Green Pastures
1936

The Galloping Ghost
1931

Carolina Moon
1940

Fair Warning
1937

Out of Singapore
1932

Meet the Baron
1933

Seventeen
1940

Sleepers East
1934

Murder in the Private Car
1934

The Secret of the Whistler
1946

Wildcat Saunders
1936

Fast Workers
1933

The Great Man's Lady
1941

Where There's Life
1947

The Mystery of the 13th Guest
1943

Half a Sinner
1934

Aces Wild
1936

Fool's Gold
1946

The Hurricane Express
1932

The Duke Comes Back
1937

Handy Andy
1934

Riders of the Black Hills
1938

Woman Haters
1934

Social Error
1935

The Girl on the Front Page
1936

Florida Special
1936

Saturday's Millions
1933

Barbary Coast Gent
1944

Death Valley Outlaws
1941

A Strange Adventure
1932

Youth on Parole
1937

Ladies' Night in a Turkish Bath
1928

Here Comes Mr. Zerk
1943

Palm Springs
1936

King of the Turf
1939

A Day at Santa Anita
1937

Give Out, Sisters
1942

Robbers' Roost
1932

The County Fair
1932

Land of Hunted Men
1943

Something Simple
1934

Pardon My Berth Marks
1940

Hidden Valley Outlaws
1944

Obliging Young Lady
1942

Repent at Leisure
1941

Police Court
1932

Bells of San Angelo
1947

Born to Fight
1936

Black Gold
1936

Goodbye Again
1933

Haunted Ranch
1943

A Night at the Ritz
1935

Back in the Saddle
1941

Who's Superstitious?
1943

Before Midnight
1933

Hawk of the Wilderness
1938

Desert Justice
1936

One Man's Law
1940

Lady by Choice
1934

Go Into Your Dance
1935

The Arm of the Law
1932

King for a Night
1933

Human Targets
1932

Racing Blood
1936

The Tulsa Kid
1940

The Biscuit Eater
1940

Frontier Justice
1936

Riddle Ranch
1935

A Missouri Outlaw
1941

Queen of Broadway
1942

Cheers of the Crowd
1935

Spy Train
1943

Range Defenders
1937

She Loved a Fireman
1937

Groom and Bored
1942

Off to the Races
1937

Valley of Wanted Men
1935

Speed Limited
1935

Hair-Trigger Casey
1936

Two Gun Sheriff
1941
Honeymoon Bridge
1935

Yodelin' Kid from Pine Ridge
1937

The Apache Kid
1941

Texas Terrors
1940

Under the Big Top
1938

I Want a Divorce
1940

Who's Who in the Zoo
1931

Romance in the Air
1936

Ride, Tenderfoot, Ride
1940
Raised and Called
1935

The Nightshirt Bandit
1938

Love, Honor and Obey (the Law!)
1935

A Private Scandal
1931

Wild Horse Rodeo
1937

Frontier Vengeance
1940
You Bring the Ducks
1934

Single-Handed Sanders
1932
The Peppery Salt
1936