Page 10 - Robeson Living Spring 2022

Rock Hudson, Henry Beckman, and McEachin in The Undefeated (1969)

work with veterans. On November 1, 2013, the GI Film Fes- as Mark Toones and Bernice Hayes. A February 12, 1942, ar-
tival awarded him the 2013 GIFF Veteran in Entertainment ticle in The Robesonian says that he also went by the name
Award for his many patriotic appearances and performances. Fred ‘Buster’ Hayes and that he was the adopted son of Moriah
Munn of the Raynham section of Robeson County. The article
McEachin is married to the former Lois Davis. They have was written by editor Ray Pittman. He writes that Toones began
three grown children and reside in South California. working as a general handyman for Dr. E.L. Bowman when he
was practicing in McDonald. Toones swore that at the age of 12
Fred “Snowflake” Toones he was chauffeuring Bowman in the doctor’s Model T. In his
early teens he hopped a train out of Lumberton for New York
and later to Chicago. It was there while watching an African
American actor known as Snowball and it was the first time he
thought of making a living as a movie star. He moved to Hol-
lywood where he worked as a truck driver and as a chicken and
turkey farmer. He also told Pittman that he would love to know
what happened to his parents especially his mother who disap-
peared soon after his birth.

During his 23-year acting career he racked up 223 screen cred-
its although it is thought that he appears in over 300 films just
didn’t receive credit for the remaining ones. He appeared in
most every genre but is mostly remembered for appearances in
classic comedies and in for his comic relief in B movie west-
erns. The 1939 movie Dodge City was one of Toone’s few “A”
westerns. As many African Americans of the time, he was cast
in roles such as porters, cooks, and butlers.

His first role in 1928 was the part of a barber in the silent com-
edy feature Ladies Night in a Turkish Bath. It wasn’t until 1931
that his career took off when he appeared in dozens of films that
year. His comedy features included Meet the Baron (1933) with
Jack Pearl, Twentieth Century (1934) with John Barrymore,
Mississippi (1935) with W.C. Fields and Bing Crosby, Alibi Ike
(1935) with Joe E. Brown, The Virginia Judge (1935) with Wal-
ter C. Kelly, Way Out West (1937) with Laurel and Hardy, The
Fred “Snowflake” Toones was born in Robeson County on Whistler in Brooklyn (1943) with Red Skelton, Where There’s
January 5, 1906. His parents are listed in some documents

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