Jon Tenney

Active - 1988 - 2022  |   Born - Dec 16, 1961 in Princeton, New Jersey, United States  |   Genres - Drama, Mystery, Crime

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Biography by AllMovie

Character actor Jon Tenney has appeared on stage and in feature films, but he may be best known for his television work, notably for playing Patrol Sergeant Francis X. Donovan on Steven Bochco's short-lived police drama Brooklyn South. His film work includes Twilight of the Golds (1997), Fools Rush In (1997), and With Friends Like These... (1998).

Tenney's interest in acting stems from early childhood and it developed further while he attended Vassar College, where he majored in drama and philosophy. Afterwards, he was accepted to Juilliard, where he was a standout student. He made his professional debut starring in a touring production of The Real Thing, directed by Mike Nichols. This led to his working steadily on and off Broadway, as well as in regional theater. His television credits include Equal Justice and Crime and Punishment. His made-for-television movie credits include Alone in the Neon Jungle (1987). Since 1994, Tenney has been married to popular television actress Teri Hatcher.

He appeared in Kenneth Lonnergan's first film, You Can Count on Me, and Albert Brooks cast him in Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World. In 2005 he was cast in the hit cable series The Closer as Agent Fritz Howard, and he would stay with that show for the next few years. He continued to work on the big screen in projects such as The Stepfather, Rabbit Hole, and Green Lantern.

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Factsheet

  • Left Juilliard early due to his success on stage, notably with the Mike Nichols-directed national tour of The Real Thing.
  • Made his Broadway debut in 1985 as a replacement standby in Neil Simon's Biloxi Blues.
  • Guest starred twice in the third season of Lois & Clark, which starred his then-wife Teri Hatcher.
  • Costarred on TV series that were canceled on all four major networks.