Acting
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.
Filmography
Racket Squad
Series · 1951
Bells of San Angelo
Film · 1947
Where There's Life
Film · 1947
G.I. War Brides
Film · 1946
Fool's Gold
Film · 1946
Two Sisters from Boston
Film · 1946
The Secret of the Whistler
Film · 1946
The Lost Weekend
Film · 1945
Hidden Valley Outlaws
Film · 1944
Barbary Coast Gent
Film · 1944
The Mystery of the 13th Guest
Film · 1943
Here Comes Mr. Zerk
Film · 1943
Who's Superstitious?
Film · 1943
Land of Hunted Men
Film · 1943
Haunted Ranch
Film · 1943
Spy Train
Film · 1943
The Palm Beach Story
Film · 1942
Groom and Bored
Film · 1942
Queen of Broadway
Film · 1942
Silver Queen
Film · 1942
Obliging Young Lady
Film · 1942
Give Out, Sisters
Film · 1942
The Great Man's Lady
Film · 1941
Repent at Leisure
Film · 1941
A Missouri Outlaw
Film · 1941
The Apache Kid
Film · 1941
Back in the Saddle
Film · 1941
Death Valley Outlaws
Film · 1941
Two Gun Sheriff
Film · 1941
Golden Hoofs
Film · 1941
Sleepers West
Film · 1941
Christmas in July
Film · 1940
Remember the Night
Film · 1940
Carolina Moon
Film · 1940
Seventeen
Film · 1940
I Want a Divorce
Film · 1940
Pardon My Berth Marks
Film · 1940
Ride, Tenderfoot, Ride
Film · 1940
Gaucho Serenade
Film · 1940
The Biscuit Eater
Film · 1940
Texas Terrors
Film · 1940
The Tulsa Kid
Film · 1940
One Man's Law
Film · 1940
Frontier Vengeance
Film · 1940
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Film · 1939
King of the Turf
Film · 1939
Daredevils of the Red Circle
Film · 1939
Hollywood Cavalcade
Film · 1939
Dodge City
Film · 1939
Navy Secrets
Film · 1939
Red River Range
Film · 1938
Hawk of the Wilderness
Film · 1938
Under the Big Top
Film · 1938
Riders of the Black Hills
Film · 1938
The Nightshirt Bandit
Film · 1938
A Star Is Born
Film · 1937
Off to the Races
Film · 1937
Gunsmoke Ranch
Film · 1937
The Duke Comes Back
Film · 1937
Yodelin' Kid from Pine Ridge
Film · 1937
Youth on Parole
Film · 1937
Wild Horse Rodeo
Film · 1937
Range Defenders
Film · 1937
A Day at Santa Anita
Film · 1937
She Loved a Fireman
Film · 1937
Smart Blonde
Film · 1937
Fair Warning
Film · 1937
Way Out West
Film · 1937
Desert Justice
Film · 1936
The Peppery Salt
Film · 1936
The Lawless Nineties
Film · 1936
The Gorgeous Hussy
Film · 1936
Frontier Justice
Film · 1936
The Lonely Trail
Film · 1936
Hair-Trigger Casey
Film · 1936
Black Gold
Film · 1936
Born to Fight
Film · 1936
Racing Blood
Film · 1936
College Holiday
Film · 1936
Aces Wild
Film · 1936
Palm Springs
Film · 1936
The Green Pastures
Film · 1936
Freshman Love
Film · 1936
The Girl on the Front Page
Film · 1936
Wildcat Saunders
Film · 1936
Come and Get It
Film · 1936
Gold Diggers of 1937
Film · 1936
Big Brown Eyes
Film · 1936
Florida Special
Film · 1936
Romance in the Air
Film · 1936
Honeymoon Bridge
Film · 1935
Riddle Ranch
Film · 1935
Valley of Wanted Men
Film · 1935
Raised and Called
Film · 1935
$10 Raise
Film · 1935
Speed Limited
Film · 1935
Stolen Harmony
Film · 1935
Cheers of the Crowd
Film · 1935
Alibi Ike
Film · 1935
Social Error
Film · 1935
Hands Across the Table
Film · 1935
Love, Honor and Obey (the Law!)
Film · 1935
A Night at the Ritz
Film · 1935
Go Into Your Dance
Film · 1935
Mississippi
Film · 1935
Woman Haters
Film · 1934
Murder in the Private Car
Film · 1934
Here Comes the Groom
Film · 1934
Palooka
Film · 1934
Sleepers East
Film · 1934
Lady by Choice
Film · 1934
Death on the Diamond
Film · 1934
You Bring the Ducks
Film · 1934
The Gay Bride
Film · 1934
Twentieth Century
Film · 1934
Half a Sinner
Film · 1934
Imitation of Life
Film · 1934
Riptide
Film · 1934
Here Comes the Navy
Film · 1934
Handy Andy
Film · 1934
Something Simple
Film · 1934
Woman Haters
Film · 1934
The Mayor of Hell
Film · 1933
Goodbye Again
Film · 1933
The Mind Reader
Film · 1933
Before Midnight
Film · 1933
King for a Night
Film · 1933
Fast Workers
Film · 1933
Meet the Baron
Film · 1933
Gold Diggers of 1933
Film · 1933
Saturday's Millions
Film · 1933
Central Airport
Film · 1933
Only Yesterday
Film · 1933
Deluge
Film · 1933
Gabriel Over the White House
Film · 1933
Out of Singapore
Film · 1932
A Strange Adventure
Film · 1932
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
Film · 1932
The Hurricane Express
Film · 1932
The Cabin in the Cotton
Film · 1932
Robbers' Roost
Film · 1932
The County Fair
Film · 1932
Police Court
Film · 1932
American Madness
Film · 1932
Single-Handed Sanders
Film · 1932
The Arm of the Law
Film · 1932
Human Targets
Film · 1932
The Galloping Ghost
Film · 1931
A Private Scandal
Film · 1931
Who's Who in the Zoo
Film · 1931
Ladies' Night in a Turkish Bath
Film · 1928