Like ‘Curly’ Howard and Tommy ‘Tiny’ Lister, who followed the black tradition of using an antonymous nickname as both their professional name and character name,[1] "Snowflake" was the distinct stage name by which Toones was best known, and he used this name as his credit as early as his third film, 1931's Shanghaied Love.

[2] Toones acted in films such as Here Comes the Navy (1934) with James Cagney, Go Into Your Dance with Al Jolson and Ruby Keeler (1935), 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) and Sock-a-Bye Baby (1942) with the Three Stooges, and had a bit role in Laurel and Hardy's feature Way Out West (1937).

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.

[4] His being cast in only comedic bit parts and small nonsupporting roles meant his efforts were more often than not uncredited (of 210 films where he made an appearance, he was credited in 73 of them).