Cast & creator
Fred 'Snowflake' Toones
Best known for Racket Squad, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Gold Diggers of 1933
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.
Also known as: 'Snowflake', Snowflake, Snow Flake, Fred S. Toones, Fred Toones
149
film credits
1
television credits
150
1928–1951 · acting roles
6.9
average across scored titles
Signature credits
Known for
Across film & television
Filmography (150)
Showing 150 of 150 credits
Racket Squad
1951
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Porter (uncredited)
1939
Gold Diggers of 1933
Black Man in "Pettin' in the Park" Number (uncredited)
1933
The Lost Weekend
Washroom Attendant at Harry & Joe's (uncredited)
1945
A Star Is Born
Witness (uncredited)
1937
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
Marine on Ship (uncredited)
1932
Way Out West
Janitor
1937
Dodge City
Willie (uncredited)
1939
The Palm Beach Story
Colored Bartender
1942
The Mayor of Hell
Mr. Hemingway (uncredited)
1933
Something Simple
Taxi Driver
1934
Remember the Night
Rufus
1940
Two Sisters from Boston
Porter (uncredited)
1946
Imitation of Life
Man at Funeral (uncredited)
1934
American Madness
Sam (uncredited)
1932
Twentieth Century
George Washington Jones (uncredited)
1934
Hands Across the Table
Snowflake (uncredited)
1935
G.I. War Brides
Pullman Porter (uncredited)
1946
Come and Get It
Snowflake (uncredited)
1936
Where There's Life
Department Store Mover (uncredited)
1947
The Secret of the Whistler
1946
King for a Night
Masseur
1933
The Mystery of the 13th Guest
Joe (uncredited)
1943
Central Airport
Hotel Porter
1933
Death on the Diamond
Porter (uncredited)
1934
The Cabin in the Cotton
Ezzy Daniels (uncredited)
1932
The Duke Comes Back
Snowflake
1937
I Want a Divorce
Porter
1940
The Arm of the Law
Jackson
1932
Riders of the Black Hills
Snowflake (as Snowflake)
1938
Christmas in July
Sam (uncredited)
1940
Here Comes the Navy
Cookie (uncredited)
1934
She Loved a Fireman
Joe
1937
The Girl on the Front Page
1936
Gold Diggers of 1937
Snowflake (uncredited)
1936
Riptide
Slick
1934
Obliging Young Lady
George - Train Porter (uncredited)
1942
Here Comes the Groom
Porter
1934
Half a Sinner
Snowflake
1934
King of the Turf
Groom
1939
Pardon My Berth Marks
Train Porter
1940
Murder in the Private Car
Titus
1934
Hawk of the Wilderness
George
1938
A Night at the Ritz
Porter (uncredited)
1935
Ladies' Night in a Turkish Bath
Barbershop Attendant (uncredited)
1928
Go Into Your Dance
Snowflake
1935
Bells of San Angelo
The Cook
1947
Deluge
Townsman
1933
The Gay Bride
1st bootblack (uncredited)
1934
Daredevils of the Red Circle
Snowflake
1939
The Great Man's Lady
Pogey
1941
One Man's Law
Snowflake (as Snowflake)
1940
Valley of Wanted Men
Snowflake
1935
Barbary Coast Gent
Train Porter
1944
Only Yesterday
Wall Street Bootblack (Uncredited)
1933
Hollywood Cavalcade
Train Porter
1939
The Gorgeous Hussy
Horatius (uncredited)
1936
The Biscuit Eater
Sermon
1940
Off to the Races
Ebbie
1937
Give Out, Sisters
Nightclub Valet
1942
Sleepers West
Waiter (uncredited)
1941
The Green Pastures
Zubo (uncredited)
1936
Death Valley Outlaws
Snowflake (as Snowflake)
1941
Under the Big Top
Juba
1938
The Galloping Ghost
Football Fan
1931
Big Brown Eyes
Chalky (Uncredited)
1936
Wild Horse Rodeo
Snowflake
1937
Back in the Saddle
Train Porter (uncredited)
1941
Silver Queen
Butler (uncredited)
1942
Repent at Leisure
Rufe
1941
Two Gun Sheriff
Snowflake (as Snowflake)
1941
Meet the Baron
Stable Groom (uncredited)
1933
Palm Springs
Porter
1936
Here Comes Mr. Zerk
Shooting Galley Man
1943
Red River Range
Bellhop (uncredited)
1938
A Day at Santa Anita
Cloudy (uncredited)
1937
The Lawless Nineties
Moses
1936
Stolen Harmony
Henry (uncredited)
1935
Frontier Justice
Snowflake
1936
Mississippi
Leadsman (uncredited)
1935
Goodbye Again
Train Porter (uncredited)
1933
Smart Blonde
Redcap Getting Tip (uncredited)
1937
Cheers of the Crowd
1935
Romance in the Air
Janitor
1936
Yodelin' Kid from Pine Ridge
Sam
1937
College Holiday
Porter (uncredited)
1936
The Apache Kid
Snowflake (as Snowflake)
1941
Florida Special
Waiter (uncredited)
1936
Gunsmoke Ranch
Snowflake (unconfirmed)
1937
A Missouri Outlaw
Snowflake (as Snowflake)
1941
Land of Hunted Men
Snowflake
1943
The Hurricane Express
Sam (uncredited)
1932You Bring the Ducks
Snowflake
1934
Handy Andy
1934
Fast Workers
Mike (Uncredited)
1933
Spy Train
Pullman Car Porter (as Snowflake)
1943
Freshman Love
Mose (uncredited)
1936
Navy Secrets
Steve's Shoe-Shiner
1939
Fool's Gold
Speed
1946
Alibi Ike
Night Porter
1935
Sleepers East
Porter (uncredited)
1934
Social Error
Shadow
1935
The Lonely Trail
Snowflake
1936
Single-Handed Sanders
Snowflake
1932
Before Midnight
1st Taxi Driver
1933
The Mind Reader
Black Man - Shill at Hair Tonic (uncredited)
1933
Who's Who in the Zoo
Park Worker with Harmonica (uncredited)
1931
Hidden Valley Outlaws
Snowflake
1944
Fair Warning
Porter
1937
Saturday's Millions
Porter
1933
Golden Hoofs
Snowflake
1941
A Strange Adventure
Jeff
1932
Lady by Choice
Mose (uncredited)
1934
The Tulsa Kid
Snowflake - the Cook (as Snowflake)
1940
Seventeen
Genesis
1940
$10 Raise
Bootblack (uncredited)
1935
Haunted Ranch
Sam
1943
Ride, Tenderfoot, Ride
Train Porter
1940
Palooka
Smokey (as Snowflake)
1934
Gaucho Serenade
New York City Pier Worker
1940
Love, Honor and Obey (the Law!)
Phone operator (uncredited)
1935
Born to Fight
Snowflake
1936
Youth on Parole
Redcap (uncredited)
1937
Groom and Bored
Train Porter
1942
Texas Terrors
Snowflake (as Snowflake)
1940
Range Defenders
Cook
1937
Woman Haters
Baggage Handler (uncredited)
1934Woman Haters
Baggage Man (uncredited)
1934
Desert Justice
Snowflake - Bank Janitor
1936
Robbers' Roost
Snowflake
1932
Hair-Trigger Casey
Snowflake
1936
Black Gold
Snowflake
1936
Speed Limited
Vegas Station Pullman Porter
1935
Aces Wild
Snowflake
1936
The County Fair
Curfew
1932Raised and Called
1935
Racing Blood
Sad Sam
1936Honeymoon Bridge
1935
Riddle Ranch
Snowflake
1935
Human Targets
'Snowflake'
1932
Carolina Moon
Sam (uncredited)
1940
Police Court
1932
Queen of Broadway
Mose (as Snowflake)
1942
Who's Superstitious?
Dice Player
1943
The Nightshirt Bandit
Sam
1938
Frontier Vengeance
Snowflake (as Snowflake)
1940
A Private Scandal
Snowflake
1931The Peppery Salt
Black Henchman
1936
Out of Singapore
Snowball, the Ship's Cook
1932
Wildcat Saunders
Snowflake
1936