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.
148 movies · 1 shows
Where There's Life
1947·6.4
Bells of San Angelo
1947·4.7
The Secret of the Whistler
1946·6.1
Fool's Gold
1946·6.5
G.I. War Brides
1946·9.0
Two Sisters from Boston
1946·6.3
The Lost Weekend
1945·7.6
Barbary Coast Gent
1944·5.5
Hidden Valley Outlaws
1944·8.0
The Mystery of the 13th Guest
1943·5.7
Here Comes Mr. Zerk
1943·10.0
Spy Train
1943·9.0
Land of Hunted Men
1943·9.0
Haunted Ranch
1943·8.0
Who's Superstitious?
1943·6.7
Queen of Broadway
1942·6.3
Silver Queen
1942·6.0
Give Out, Sisters
1942·6.0
The Palm Beach Story
1942·7.0
Groom and Bored
1942·9.0
Obliging Young Lady
1942·6.0
A Missouri Outlaw
1941·7.0
The Great Man's Lady
1941·6.3
Death Valley Outlaws
1941·9.0
The Apache Kid
1941·9.0
Two Gun Sheriff
1941·7.5
Repent at Leisure
1941·6.3
Back in the Saddle
1941·6.0
Sleepers West
1941·6.4
Golden Hoofs
1941·8.0
Texas Terrors
1940·5.5
Christmas in July
1940·7.0
Frontier Vengeance
1940·7.0
I Want a Divorce
1940·10.0
Ride, Tenderfoot, Ride
1940·5.5
The Tulsa Kid
1940·6.5
Carolina Moon
1940·7.5
One Man's Law
1940·10.0
The Biscuit Eater
1940·6.5
Gaucho Serenade
1940·6.5
Pardon My Berth Marks
1940·6.5
Seventeen
1940·9.0
Remember the Night
1940·7.3
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
1939·7.8
Hollywood Cavalcade
1939·6.2
Daredevils of the Red Circle
1939·4.8
Dodge City
1939·6.9
King of the Turf
1939·7.0
Navy Secrets
1939·6.2
Red River Range
1938·5.2
Hawk of the Wilderness
1938·7.0
The Nightshirt Bandit
1938·10.0
Under the Big Top
1938·6.7
Riders of the Black Hills
1938·7.0
She Loved a Fireman
1937·7.5
Wild Horse Rodeo
1937·8.0
The Duke Comes Back
1937·6.0
Youth on Parole
1937·3.9
Range Defenders
1937·4.8
Yodelin' Kid from Pine Ridge
1937·6.7
A Day at Santa Anita
1937·6.0
Gunsmoke Ranch
1937·4.3
A Star Is Born
1937·7.2
Way Out West
1937·7.1
Fair Warning
1937·7.3
Off to the Races
1937·10.0
Smart Blonde
1937·6.4
Gold Diggers of 1937
1936·6.1
Aces Wild
1936·8.0
College Holiday
1936·5.7
Racing Blood
1936·7.0
Come and Get It
1936·6.8
Born to Fight
1936·10.0
Frontier Justice
1936·7.5
The Girl on the Front Page
1936·7.0
The Gorgeous Hussy
1936·5.5
The Green Pastures
1936·6.3
Palm Springs
1936·8.0
The Lonely Trail
1936·4.8
Romance in the Air
1936·10.0
The Peppery Salt
1936·8.0
Florida Special
1936·7.0
Desert Justice
1936·10.0
Big Brown Eyes
1936·6.2
Wildcat Saunders
1936·10.0
Hair-Trigger Casey
1936·7.0
The Lawless Nineties
1936·5.5
Black Gold
1936·5.3
Freshman Love
1936·7.0
Riddle Ranch
1935·5.5
Valley of Wanted Men
1935·6.3
Hands Across the Table
1935·7.0
Honeymoon Bridge
1935·9.0
Cheers of the Crowd
1935·5.8
Alibi Ike
1935·6.2
$10 Raise
1935·9.0
Social Error
1935·7.5
Love, Honor and Obey (the Law!)
1935·0.0
Stolen Harmony
1935·8.0
Go Into Your Dance
1935·7.2
A Night at the Ritz
1935·6.5
Raised and Called
1935·0.0
Mississippi
1935·6.8
Speed Limited
1935·8.0
The Gay Bride
1934·6.0
You Bring the Ducks
1934·10.0
Imitation of Life
1934·7.0
Lady by Choice
1934·6.9
Death on the Diamond
1934·7.3
Something Simple
1934·6.0
Here Comes the Navy
1934·6.0
Handy Andy
1934·5.5
Murder in the Private Car
1934·5.6
Here Comes the Groom
1934·6.5
Half a Sinner
1934·8.0
Twentieth Century
1934·6.8
Woman Haters
1934·6.3
Riptide
1934·6.7
Palooka
1934·3.6
Sleepers East
1934·7.0
King for a Night
1933·7.2
Before Midnight
1933·4.6
Only Yesterday
1933·7.1
Meet the Baron
1933·5.3
Saturday's Millions
1933·7.0
Goodbye Again
1933·4.9
Deluge
1933·6.0
The Mayor of Hell
1933·7.0
Gold Diggers of 1933
1933·7.2
Central Airport
1933·6.0
The Mind Reader
1933·6.3
Fast Workers
1933·5.0
Robbers' Roost
1932·6.0
A Strange Adventure
1932·6.5
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
1932·7.8
The Cabin in the Cotton
1932·6.3
Out of Singapore
1932·5.0
American Madness
1932·6.9
The Hurricane Express
1932·5.4
The Arm of the Law
1932·5.3
The County Fair
1932·7.0
Police Court
1932·5.8
Single-Handed Sanders
1932·8.0
Human Targets
1932·6.0
A Private Scandal
1931·5.8
Who's Who in the Zoo
1931·0.0
The Galloping Ghost
1931·4.7
Ladies' Night in a Turkish Bath
1928·10.0