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

  • Racket Squad

    Racket Squad

  • The Lonely Trail

    The Lonely Trail

  • Deluge

    Deluge

  • Fast Workers

    Fast Workers

  • A Night at the Ritz

    A Night at the Ritz

  • Here Comes the Navy

    Here Comes the Navy

  • Here Comes the Groom

    Here Comes the Groom

  • Youth on Parole

    Youth on Parole

  • I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang

    I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang

  • Riders of the Black Hills

    Riders of the Black Hills

  • The Green Pastures

    The Green Pastures

  • Hollywood Cavalcade

    Hollywood Cavalcade

  • Go Into Your Dance

    Go Into Your Dance

  • The Arm of the Law

    The Arm of the Law

  • Gold Diggers of 1937

    Gold Diggers of 1937

  • Stolen Harmony

    Stolen Harmony

  • Christmas in July

    Christmas in July

  • Alibi Ike

    Alibi Ike

  • The Duke Comes Back

    The Duke Comes Back

  • The Lost Weekend

    The Lost Weekend

  • Red River Range

    Red River Range

  • Two Sisters from Boston

    Two Sisters from Boston

  • Ladies' Night in a Turkish Bath

    Ladies' Night in a Turkish Bath

  • Range Defenders

    Range Defenders

  • Dodge City

    Dodge City

  • The Great Man's Lady

    The Great Man's Lady

  • A Day at Santa Anita

    A Day at Santa Anita

  • Palm Springs

    Palm Springs

  • Aces Wild

    Aces Wild

  • The Mayor of Hell

    The Mayor of Hell

  • Police Court

    Police Court

  • Sleepers West

    Sleepers West

  • Daredevils of the Red Circle

    Daredevils of the Red Circle

  • Navy Secrets

    Navy Secrets

  • Single-Handed Sanders

    Single-Handed Sanders

  • College Holiday

    College Holiday

  • Bells of San Angelo

    Bells of San Angelo

  • Ride, Tenderfoot, Ride

    Ride, Tenderfoot, Ride

  • I Want a Divorce

    I Want a Divorce

  • The Mystery of the 13th Guest

    The Mystery of the 13th Guest

  • Meet the Baron

    Meet the Baron

  • A Strange Adventure

    A Strange Adventure

  • Two Gun Sheriff

    Two Gun Sheriff

  • Lady by Choice

    Lady by Choice

  • Palooka

    Palooka

  • American Madness

    American Madness

  • The Biscuit Eater

    The Biscuit Eater

  • Gunsmoke Ranch

    Gunsmoke Ranch

  • Woman Haters

    Woman Haters

  • Woman Haters

    Woman Haters

  • Frontier Justice

    Frontier Justice

  • Goodbye Again

    Goodbye Again

  • Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

    Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

  • Back in the Saddle

    Back in the Saddle

  • Freshman Love

    Freshman Love

  • Hawk of the Wilderness

    Hawk of the Wilderness

  • Florida Special

    Florida Special

  • Murder in the Private Car

    Murder in the Private Car

  • Seventeen

    Seventeen

  • The Nightshirt Bandit

    The Nightshirt Bandit

  • Fair Warning

    Fair Warning

  • Here Comes Mr. Zerk

    Here Comes Mr. Zerk

  • Carolina Moon

    Carolina Moon

  • Yodelin' Kid from Pine Ridge

    Yodelin' Kid from Pine Ridge

  • The Hurricane Express

    The Hurricane Express

  • Handy Andy

    Handy Andy

  • Queen of Broadway

    Queen of Broadway

  • The Secret of the Whistler

    The Secret of the Whistler

  • The Mind Reader

    The Mind Reader

  • The Peppery Salt

    The Peppery Salt

  • Way Out West

    Way Out West

  • Fool's Gold

    Fool's Gold

  • A Missouri Outlaw

    A Missouri Outlaw

  • Imitation of Life

    Imitation of Life

  • The Apache Kid

    The Apache Kid

  • A Star Is Born

    A Star Is Born

  • The Cabin in the Cotton

    The Cabin in the Cotton

  • Who's Superstitious?

    Who's Superstitious?

  • Black Gold

    Black Gold

  • Mississippi

    Mississippi

  • Spy Train

    Spy Train

  • The Palm Beach Story

    The Palm Beach Story

  • Honeymoon Bridge

    Honeymoon Bridge

  • Saturday's Millions

    Saturday's Millions

  • King for a Night

    King for a Night

  • Hair-Trigger Casey

    Hair-Trigger Casey

  • Golden Hoofs

    Golden Hoofs

  • Wild Horse Rodeo

    Wild Horse Rodeo

  • The Lawless Nineties

    The Lawless Nineties

  • Speed Limited

    Speed Limited

  • Silver Queen

    Silver Queen

  • Only Yesterday

    Only Yesterday

  • Gold Diggers of 1933

    Gold Diggers of 1933

  • G.I. War Brides

    G.I. War Brides

  • Out of Singapore

    Out of Singapore

  • $10 Raise

    $10 Raise

  • Land of Hunted Men

    Land of Hunted Men

  • Hands Across the Table

    Hands Across the Table

  • Gaucho Serenade

    Gaucho Serenade

  • Big Brown Eyes

    Big Brown Eyes

  • Raised and Called

    Raised and Called

  • Under the Big Top

    Under the Big Top

  • Pardon My Berth Marks

    Pardon My Berth Marks

  • Romance in the Air

    Romance in the Air

  • Where There's Life

    Where There's Life

  • Half a Sinner

    Half a Sinner

  • Riptide

    Riptide

  • Hidden Valley Outlaws

    Hidden Valley Outlaws

  • Central Airport

    Central Airport

  • Riddle Ranch

    Riddle Ranch

  • The Gay Bride

    The Gay Bride

  • Robbers' Roost

    Robbers' Roost

  • Something Simple

    Something Simple

  • The Gorgeous Hussy

    The Gorgeous Hussy

  • The Tulsa Kid

    The Tulsa Kid

  • She Loved a Fireman

    She Loved a Fireman

  • Come and Get It

    Come and Get It

  • Remember the Night

    Remember the Night

  • Before Midnight

    Before Midnight

  • One Man's Law

    One Man's Law

  • Death on the Diamond

    Death on the Diamond

  • The Girl on the Front Page

    The Girl on the Front Page

  • Off to the Races

    Off to the Races

  • Death Valley Outlaws

    Death Valley Outlaws

  • Groom and Bored

    Groom and Bored

  • Twentieth Century

    Twentieth Century

  • Obliging Young Lady

    Obliging Young Lady

  • Haunted Ranch

    Haunted Ranch

  • The Galloping Ghost

    The Galloping Ghost

  • Love, Honor and Obey (the Law!)

    Love, Honor and Obey (the Law!)

  • Frontier Vengeance

    Frontier Vengeance

  • Smart Blonde

    Smart Blonde

  • Born to Fight

    Born to Fight

  • Racing Blood

    Racing Blood

  • Barbary Coast Gent

    Barbary Coast Gent

  • Repent at Leisure

    Repent at Leisure

  • Valley of Wanted Men

    Valley of Wanted Men

  • King of the Turf

    King of the Turf

  • Sleepers East

    Sleepers East

  • Texas Terrors

    Texas Terrors

  • Social Error

    Social Error

  • Desert Justice

    Desert Justice

  • Cheers of the Crowd

    Cheers of the Crowd

  • A Private Scandal

    A Private Scandal

  • Who's Who in the Zoo

    Who's Who in the Zoo

  • Wildcat Saunders

    Wildcat Saunders

  • The County Fair

    The County Fair

  • You Bring the Ducks

    You Bring the Ducks