Fred 'Snowflake' Toones

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

148

Gender

Male

Birthday

1906-01-05

Day of death

1962-02-13 (56 years old)

Place of Birth

North Carolina, USA

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.

Known For

  • Frontier Justice

    Frontier Justice

  • Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

    Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

  • Two Sisters from Boston

    Two Sisters from Boston

  • The Lost Weekend

    The Lost Weekend

  • Murder in the Private Car

    Murder in the Private Car

  • Fast Workers

    Fast Workers

  • The Cabin in the Cotton

    The Cabin in the Cotton

  • Carolina Moon

    Carolina Moon

  • Range Defenders

    Range Defenders

  • Racket Squad

    Racket Squad

  • Spy Train

    Spy Train

  • Dodge City

    Dodge City

  • Navy Secrets

    Navy Secrets

  • The Palm Beach Story

    The Palm Beach Story

  • Goodbye Again

    Goodbye Again

  • The Great Man's Lady

    The Great Man's Lady

  • Deluge

    Deluge

  • Woman Haters

    Woman Haters

  • Woman Haters

    Woman Haters

  • American Madness

    American Madness

  • The Mystery of the 13th Guest

    The Mystery of the 13th Guest

  • Aces Wild

    Aces Wild

  • Fair Warning

    Fair Warning

  • Riptide

    Riptide

  • $10 Raise

    $10 Raise

  • Seventeen

    Seventeen

  • Speed Limited

    Speed Limited

  • Mississippi

    Mississippi

  • The Arm of the Law

    The Arm of the Law

  • Golden Hoofs

    Golden Hoofs

  • Gunsmoke Ranch

    Gunsmoke Ranch

  • The Mayor of Hell

    The Mayor of Hell

  • Palooka

    Palooka

  • Christmas in July

    Christmas in July

  • A Star Is Born

    A Star Is Born

  • A Strange Adventure

    A Strange Adventure

  • Only Yesterday

    Only Yesterday

  • The Mind Reader

    The Mind Reader

  • Handy Andy

    Handy Andy

  • Hollywood Cavalcade

    Hollywood Cavalcade

  • Single-Handed Sanders

    Single-Handed Sanders

  • Way Out West

    Way Out West

  • Riddle Ranch

    Riddle Ranch

  • College Holiday

    College Holiday

  • Gaucho Serenade

    Gaucho Serenade

  • Sleepers West

    Sleepers West

  • Gold Diggers of 1937

    Gold Diggers of 1937

  • Central Airport

    Central Airport

  • Love, Honor and Obey (the Law!)

    Love, Honor and Obey (the Law!)

  • I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang

    I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang

  • Silver Queen

    Silver Queen

  • Black Gold

    Black Gold

  • One Man's Law

    One Man's Law

  • Hands Across the Table

    Hands Across the Table

  • Before Midnight

    Before Midnight

  • The Apache Kid

    The Apache Kid

  • Back in the Saddle

    Back in the Saddle

  • Red River Range

    Red River Range

  • Saturday's Millions

    Saturday's Millions

  • Riders of the Black Hills

    Riders of the Black Hills

  • The Secret of the Whistler

    The Secret of the Whistler

  • The Girl on the Front Page

    The Girl on the Front Page

  • The Lawless Nineties

    The Lawless Nineties

  • Imitation of Life

    Imitation of Life

  • Go Into Your Dance

    Go Into Your Dance

  • G.I. War Brides

    G.I. War Brides

  • The Duke Comes Back

    The Duke Comes Back

  • A Day at Santa Anita

    A Day at Santa Anita

  • Death on the Diamond

    Death on the Diamond

  • Here Comes the Navy

    Here Comes the Navy

  • Big Brown Eyes

    Big Brown Eyes

  • The Lonely Trail

    The Lonely Trail

  • Youth on Parole

    Youth on Parole

  • The Biscuit Eater

    The Biscuit Eater

  • The Gorgeous Hussy

    The Gorgeous Hussy

  • Ride, Tenderfoot, Ride

    Ride, Tenderfoot, Ride

  • Meet the Baron

    Meet the Baron

  • She Loved a Fireman

    She Loved a Fireman

  • Under the Big Top

    Under the Big Top

  • Gold Diggers of 1933

    Gold Diggers of 1933

  • The Tulsa Kid

    The Tulsa Kid

  • Here Comes the Groom

    Here Comes the Groom

  • Ladies' Night in a Turkish Bath

    Ladies' Night in a Turkish Bath

  • The Green Pastures

    The Green Pastures

  • Where There's Life

    Where There's Life

  • Lady by Choice

    Lady by Choice

  • Two Gun Sheriff

    Two Gun Sheriff

  • A Missouri Outlaw

    A Missouri Outlaw

  • Who's Superstitious?

    Who's Superstitious?

  • Hawk of the Wilderness

    Hawk of the Wilderness

  • Land of Hunted Men

    Land of Hunted Men

  • Hair-Trigger Casey

    Hair-Trigger Casey

  • Remember the Night

    Remember the Night

  • Yodelin' Kid from Pine Ridge

    Yodelin' Kid from Pine Ridge

  • Half a Sinner

    Half a Sinner

  • Come and Get It

    Come and Get It

  • I Want a Divorce

    I Want a Divorce

  • Daredevils of the Red Circle

    Daredevils of the Red Circle

  • Pardon My Berth Marks

    Pardon My Berth Marks

  • Hidden Valley Outlaws

    Hidden Valley Outlaws

  • Freshman Love

    Freshman Love

  • A Night at the Ritz

    A Night at the Ritz

  • Wild Horse Rodeo

    Wild Horse Rodeo

  • The Gay Bride

    The Gay Bride

  • Fool's Gold

    Fool's Gold

  • Off to the Races

    Off to the Races

  • The Peppery Salt

    The Peppery Salt

  • Here Comes Mr. Zerk

    Here Comes Mr. Zerk

  • King for a Night

    King for a Night

  • Obliging Young Lady

    Obliging Young Lady

  • Bells of San Angelo

    Bells of San Angelo

  • Death Valley Outlaws

    Death Valley Outlaws

  • Twentieth Century

    Twentieth Century

  • Out of Singapore

    Out of Singapore

  • Something Simple

    Something Simple

  • Valley of Wanted Men

    Valley of Wanted Men

  • Romance in the Air

    Romance in the Air

  • Cheers of the Crowd

    Cheers of the Crowd

  • Queen of Broadway

    Queen of Broadway

  • The Galloping Ghost

    The Galloping Ghost

  • Palm Springs

    Palm Springs

  • The Hurricane Express

    The Hurricane Express

  • Repent at Leisure

    Repent at Leisure

  • Barbary Coast Gent

    Barbary Coast Gent

  • Haunted Ranch

    Haunted Ranch

  • Robbers' Roost

    Robbers' Roost

  • Groom and Bored

    Groom and Bored

  • Police Court

    Police Court

  • Stolen Harmony

    Stolen Harmony

  • Sleepers East

    Sleepers East

  • Social Error

    Social Error

  • Florida Special

    Florida Special

  • You Bring the Ducks

    You Bring the Ducks

  • Smart Blonde

    Smart Blonde

  • Wildcat Saunders

    Wildcat Saunders

  • Desert Justice

    Desert Justice

  • Frontier Vengeance

    Frontier Vengeance

  • Born to Fight

    Born to Fight

  • King of the Turf

    King of the Turf

  • Texas Terrors

    Texas Terrors

  • The Nightshirt Bandit

    The Nightshirt Bandit

  • A Private Scandal

    A Private Scandal

  • Alibi Ike

    Alibi Ike

  • Honeymoon Bridge

    Honeymoon Bridge

  • Raised and Called

    Raised and Called

  • The County Fair

    The County Fair

  • Who's Who in the Zoo

    Who's Who in the Zoo

  • Racing Blood

    Racing Blood