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