Fred 'Snowflake' Toones
Acting
Born 1906-01-05
Died 1962-02-13
North Carolina, USA
149 credits
Read 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.
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Filmography
— top 60 of 149
Acting
59 credits
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
The Lost Weekend
Remember the Night
A Star Is Born
Dodge City
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
Gold Diggers of 1933
The Palm Beach Story
Way Out West
Twentieth Century
Imitation of Life
Christmas in July
Two Sisters from Boston
Obliging Young Lady
The Gay Bride
Only Yesterday
Half a Sinner
Central Airport
The Gorgeous Hussy
American Madness
Come and Get It
Big Brown Eyes
Red River Range
Hands Across the Table
Gold Diggers of 1937
Mississippi
The Mayor of Hell
I Want a Divorce
Wild Horse Rodeo
College Holiday
Riptide
Meet the Baron
Here Comes the Navy
Fast Workers
Born to Fight
Hollywood Cavalcade
The Great Man's Lady
Valley of Wanted Men
Daredevils of the Red Circle
King for a Night
Palm Springs
Go Into Your Dance
The Lawless Nineties
Smart Blonde
Barbary Coast Gent
Deluge
Stolen Harmony
Riders of the Black Hills
A Day at Santa Anita
The Lonely Trail
King of the Turf
Alibi Ike
Florida Special
Where There's Life
Black Gold
Golden Hoofs
Back in the Saddle
Saturday's Millions
Sleepers West
Other credits
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