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Fred 'Snowflake' Toones

Fred 'Snowflake' Toones

Actor · 1906 – 1962 · North Carolina, USA

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.

Movies24

  • Movie7.8
  • Movie7.6

    The Lost Weekend

    1945 · 685 votes

  • Movie7.8
  • Movie7.1

    Way Out West

    1937 · 231 votes

  • Movie6.9

    Dodge City

    1939 · 115 votes

  • Movie7.2

    A Star Is Born

    1937 · 244 votes

  • Movie7.2

    Gold Diggers of 1933

    1933 · 182 votes

  • Movie7.0

    The Palm Beach Story

    1942 · 213 votes

  • Movie7.3

    Remember the Night

    1940 · 129 votes

  • Movie7.0

    The Mayor of Hell

    1933 · 33 votes

  • Movie7.0

    Imitation of Life

    1934 · 88 votes

  • Movie6.1

    Gold Diggers of 1937

    1936 · 22 votes

  • Movie6.4

    Where There's Life

    1947 · 7 votes

  • Movie7.0

    Christmas in July

    1940 · 91 votes

  • Movie7.0

    Hands Across the Table

    1935 · 21 votes

  • Movie6.9

    American Madness

    1932 · 49 votes

  • Movie6.8

    Twentieth Century

    1934 · 114 votes

  • Movie6.3

    Big Brown Eyes

    1936 · 30 votes

  • Movie6.3

    The Cabin in the Cotton

    1932 · 21 votes

  • Movie6.8

    Come and Get It

    1936 · 46 votes

  • Movie7.2

    Go Into Your Dance

    1935 · 5 votes

  • Movie8.0

    Half a Sinner

    1934 · 1 votes

  • Movie6.3
  • Movie6.0

    Central Airport

    1933 · 13 votes

Series1

  • TV6.5

    Racket Squad

    1951 · 4 votes