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Jon Tenney
View on WikipediaJonathan Frederick Tenney[1] (born December 16, 1961) is an American actor. He played Special Agent Fritz Howard in TNT's The Closer and continued in its spin-off Major Crimes.
Key Information
Early life
[edit]Tenney was born in Princeton, New Jersey. His mother, Dr. Lillian Sandra Baum, was a psychiatrist, and his father, Frederick Haworth Tenney, was a research physicist.[2] His maternal grandparents were Polish Jewish immigrants, while his paternal forebears were of English ancestry.[1][3] He received his B.A. degree from Vassar College in 1984,[4] where he majored in drama and philosophy. He later attended The Juilliard School's Drama Division as a member of Group 19 (1986–1990).[5]
Career
[edit]Tenney made his acting debut in a touring production of Mike Nichols' The Real Thing. He worked steadily on and off-Broadway, and in regional theater. At New York City, his stage credits include Biloxi Blues, The Substance of Fire and The Heiress.[6] He began working on television, starring in a number of short-lived series, including Steven Bochco's Brooklyn South, Kristin Chenoweth's sitcom Kristin, and guest appearances on Cybill, Will & Grace, Murphy Brown, Spenser: for Hire and Get Real. Series with Tenney as a regular were canceled on all four major networks.[7]
From 2005 to 2012, Tenney played Special Agent Fritz Howard, the husband of Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson (Kyra Sedgwick) in TNT's The Closer. For the 4th season of Lifetime's The Division in 2004, he played Hank Riley. When The Closer ended he continued to act in its spin-off, Major Crimes, from 2012 to 2018, with Howard becoming an LAPD deputy chief in the third season.[8] Later, he portrayed Dr. Simon Craig, a love interest of Nora Walker (Sally Field) in Brothers & Sisters.[9] In 2013, he starred with Rebecca Romijn in TNT's King & Maxwell, as Sean King, a former Secret Service agent and lawyer who works as a private investigator.[10] The series was canceled after one season. In 2014, he was cast in a recurring role on Shonda Rhimes' drama series Scandal.[11]
Tenney appeared in several films, including the villainous CEO of Benbrook Oil Company in Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home and the friend of Alex Whitman (Matthew Perry) in Fools Rush In.[12] He also starred in small roles for some films, including Tombstone, Beverly Hills Cop III, Nixon, Music from Another Room and the 2009 horror film remake of The Stepfather.[13] He also appeared in John Cameron Mitchell's film, Rabbit Hole.[14] He portrayed Martin Jordan in the 2011 superhero film Green Lantern.[15]
Personal life
[edit]From 1994 to 2003, Tenney was married to Teri Hatcher, with whom he has a daughter, Emerson Rose Tenney.[16][17] He married producer Leslie Urdang on June 16, 2012.[18]
Filmography
[edit]Film
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Guilty by Suspicion | Shopper Husband | |
| 1993 | Watch It | Michael | |
| 1993 | Tombstone | Johnny Behan | |
| 1994 | Beverly Hills Cop III | Levine | |
| 1994 | Lassie | Steve Turner | |
| 1995 | Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home | John Milner | |
| 1995 | Nixon | Reporter #1 | |
| 1996 | The Phantom | Jimmy Wells | |
| 1996 | The Twilight of the Golds | Rob Stein | |
| 1997 | Fools Rush In | Jeff | |
| 1997 | Lovelife | Alan | |
| 1998 | Homegrown | Helicopter Pilot | |
| 1998 | Music from Another Room | Eric | |
| 1998 | With Friends Like These... | Dorian Mastandrea | |
| 1999 | Advice from a Caterpillar | Suit | |
| 2000 | You Can Count on Me | Bob Steegerson | |
| 2002 | Buying the Cow | Andrew Hahn | |
| 2009 | The Stepfather | Jay | |
| 2010 | Legion | Howard Anderson | |
| 2010 | Rabbit Hole | Rick | |
| 2011 | Green Lantern | Martin Jordan | |
| 2011 | Hide Away | The Divorced Man | |
| 2013 | As Cool As I Am | Bob | |
| 2014 | The Best of Me | Harvey Collier | |
| 2015 | Love the Coopers | Dr. Morrissey | |
| 2018 | The Seagull | Dorn | |
| 2019 | I See You | Greg Harper |
Television
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Spenser: For Hire | Garrett | Episode: "Shadowsight" |
| 1988 | Alone in the Neon Jungle | Todd Hansen | Television film |
| 1989 | Murphy Brown | Josh Silverberg | Episode: "The Brothers Silverberg" |
| 1990–1991 | Equal Justice | Peter Bauer | 25 episodes |
| 1993 | Tales from the Crypt | Alex | Episode: "Half-Way Horrible" |
| 1993 | Crime & Punishment | Det. Ken O'Donnell | 6 episodes |
| 1995 | Almost Perfect | Adams / Tony Madden | 2 episodes |
| 1996 | Good Company | Will Hennessey | 6 episodes |
| 1996 | Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman | Lt. Ching | 2 episodes |
| 1996 | Cybill | Jack | 2 episodes |
| 1997 | The Outer Limits | Aidan Hunter | Episode: "Bits of Love" |
| 1997–1998 | Brooklyn South | Patrol Sgt. Francis 'Frank' Xavier Donovan | 22 episodes |
| 1999–2000 | Get Real | Mitch Green | 22 episodes |
| 2001 | Kristin | Tommy Ballantine | 13 episodes |
| 2001 | Will & Grace | Paul Truman | Episode: "Moveable Feast" |
| 2004 | The District | Dan Lustig | Episode: "Family Values" |
| 2004 | Without a Trace | Mr. Benjamin Palmer | Episode: "Bait" |
| 2004 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Charlie Macklin | Episode: "Formalities" |
| 2005-2012 | The Closer | FBI Special Agent Fritz Howard | 109 episodes |
| 2009 | American Dad! | Father Carrington / Lawyer #2 / Man (voices) | 3 episodes |
| 2009–2010 | Brothers & Sisters | Dr. Simon Craig | 5 episodes |
| 2012 | The Newsroom | Wade Campbell | 3 episodes |
| 2012–2016 | Major Crimes | FBI Special Agent/LAPD deputy chief Fritz Howard | 23 episodes |
| 2013 | King & Maxwell | Sean King | 10 episodes |
| 2014–2016 | Scandal | Andrew Nichols | 15 episodes |
| 2015 | Hand of God | Nick Tramble | 5 episodes |
| 2017 | Longmire | FBI Agent Vance | 1 episode |
| 2017 | Story of a Girl | Ray Lambert | Television film |
| 2020 | Next | Special Agent Brian Farrell | 1 episode |
| 2022 | The Lincoln Lawyer | Mickey Haller Sr | 1 episode |
| 2022 | And Just Like That... | Peter | 3 episodes |
References
[edit]- ^ a b Boone, Roger S. (1992). Marjorie, Morgan (ed.). Some Quaker Families, Scarborough/Haworth. Volume 3. Wichita, Kan.: Marjorie Morgan. p. 1582. OCLC 24404475. Retrieved July 2, 2014.
- ^ "Jon Tenney profile". FilmReference.com.
- ^ "Paid Notice - Deaths TENNEY, DR. LILLIAN BAUM". New York Times. 2007-03-11. Retrieved 2014-01-11.
- ^ "All in the Family". Vassar, the Alumnae/i Quarterly. Spring–Summer 2011.
- ^ "Alumni News". The Juilliard School. March 2010. Archived from the original on 2011-11-11.
- ^ Laura Hitchcock (February 5, 2007). "Speeding the plow once again". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 13, 2013.
- ^ "Jon Tenney Biography". Tvguide.com. Retrieved 2014-01-11.
- ^ Margy Rochlin (August 3, 2012). "Case Closed? The Squad Looks Familiar". New York Times. Retrieved June 13, 2013.
- ^ Matt Richenthal (October 19, 2009). "Jon Tenney Nabs Recurring Role on Brothers & Sisters". TVFanatic.com. Retrieved June 13, 2013.
- ^ Vlada Gelman (January 15, 2013). "TNT Greenlights Private Eye Series Starring Jon Tenney and Rebecca Romijn". TVLine.com. Archived from the original on March 21, 2014. Retrieved June 13, 2013.
- ^ "Jon Tenney Joins 'Scandal' As Mellie's New Man". The Huffington Post. 2013-12-07. Retrieved 2024-10-14.
- ^ "Fools Rush In (1997)". IMDb. Retrieved June 13, 2013.
- ^ "Jon Tenney and Amber Heard Join The Stepfather Remake". MovieWeb. February 27, 2008. Retrieved June 13, 2013.
- ^ "Oh, Esposito and Tenney Complete 'RABBIT HOLE' Film Casting". Broadway World. May 17, 2009. Retrieved June 13, 2013.
- ^ "The Closer Star Jon Tenney Joins Green Lantern". ComingSoon.net. April 11, 2010.
- ^ "Teri Hatcher biography". People.com. Retrieved June 13, 2013.
- ^ Keck, William (May 2, 2006). "Hatcher has eye on love". USA Today. Retrieved June 13, 2013.
- ^ Jay Bobbin (June 10, 2013). "Jon Tenney of TNT's 'King & Maxwell': It's good to be the King". Zap2it. Archived from the original on June 15, 2013. Retrieved June 13, 2013.
External links
[edit]- Jon Tenney at IMDb
Jon Tenney
View on GrokipediaEarly life
Family background
Jon Tenney was born on December 16, 1961, in Princeton, New Jersey.[2][1] His father, Frederick Haworth Tenney, worked as a research physicist in the nuclear fusion department at Princeton University, while his mother, Dr. Lillian Sandra Baum, was a psychiatrist. Tenney is the youngest of four children.[4][1][15][16] The Tenney household provided a rich cultural environment that nurtured Tenney's early interests in the performing arts. His father, an enthusiast of classical music and opera, actively participated in community musicals with local theater groups, such as those at the McCarter Theatre in Princeton, and the family often sang together, including in barbershop quartets. These dynamics exposed Tenney to performance from a young age, sparking his passion for acting; by third grade, he was hooked after participating in a school play, and at age nine, he began studying acting at a local theater program.[4]Education
Tenney earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in drama and philosophy from Vassar College in 1984.[17][4] Following his undergraduate studies, he enrolled in the Drama Division at The Juilliard School as a member of Group 17 (1984–1985).[18] His training at Juilliard ended after his first year when director Mike Nichols cast him in the national touring production of Tom Stoppard's The Real Thing (1985), marking his professional acting debut.[7][19]Career
Theater and early work
Jon Tenney launched his professional acting career on stage, debuting in the national touring production of Tom Stoppard's The Real Thing, directed by Mike Nichols, in 1985 while still enrolled as a graduate student in the drama division at the Juilliard School.[18][20] This opportunity marked his first paid role and prompted him to temporarily interrupt his Juilliard studies to join the tour.[16] Following the tour, Tenney transitioned to New York theater, serving as an understudy for multiple roles, including Eugene Morris Jerome, in the Broadway production of Neil Simon's Biloxi Blues starting in 1985.[21] In the late 1980s, Tenney built experience through off-Broadway and Broadway understudy work, including a supporting role in the off-Broadway premiere of Barbara Lebow's A Shayna Maidel at the Westside Theatre in 1987, where he portrayed a family member in a story of Holocaust survivors reuniting.[22][23] He also understudied in the short-lived Broadway comedy Sweet Sue opposite Mary Tyler Moore and Lynn Redgrave that same year.[24] During this apprenticeship period, Tenney appeared in numerous regional theater productions across the United States, honing his craft in what he later described as "hundreds" of plays.[20] Entering the early 1990s, Tenney continued off-Broadway with the role of Joey, a troubled son, in John Patrick Shanley's family drama Beggars in the House of Plenty at Manhattan Theatre Club's Stage II in 1991, earning praise for his portrayal of generational conflict amid economic hardship.[25][26] As his stage career stabilized, Tenney began transitioning to screen work with initial television guest appearances, including the role of Josh Silverberg in an episode of Murphy Brown in 1989.[27] He followed with minor film cameos, such as a shop customer in Guilty by Suspicion (1991) and a reporter in Nixon (1995), marking his gradual shift toward more prominent on-camera roles.Television roles
Jon Tenney began his television career with supporting roles in the mid-1990s, including a recurring part as Dr. Adam Stephens on the family drama Party of Five from 1995 to 1996, appearing in five episodes. He followed this with a lead role as Patrol Sgt. Francis "Frank" Xavier Donovan on the CBS police drama Brooklyn South from 1997 to 1998, starring in all 22 episodes of the series.[28] Tenney achieved his breakthrough in television with the role of Special Agent Fritz Howard on TNT's The Closer from 2005 to 2012, appearing in all 109 episodes as the FBI liaison and eventual husband to Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson (Kyra Sedgwick).[29] His performance as the grounded, supportive law enforcement figure earned him five Screen Actors Guild Award nominations for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series between 2006 and 2011, shared with the cast. Tenney reprised the role in the spin-off Major Crimes from 2012 to 2018, appearing in 29 episodes as Howard, who transitions to LAPD Deputy Chief.[30] In 2013, Tenney starred as former Secret Service agent Sean King in the TNT procedural King & Maxwell, leading the series alongside Rebecca Romijn across all 10 episodes before its cancellation after one season.[31] He then took on a recurring role as Vice President (later President) Andrew Nichols on ABC's Scandal from 2014 to 2016, appearing in 15 episodes as a politically ambitious figure entangled in White House intrigue.[32] Tenney continued with guest and recurring appearances in the 2020s, including Special Agent Brian Farrell in a 2020 episode of Fox's neXt, a tech thriller about AI dangers. He played Peter, a brief romantic interest for Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker), in three episodes of HBO Max's And Just Like That... in 2021. In 2022, he portrayed Mickey Haller Sr., the estranged father of the protagonist, in recurring capacity across seasons of Netflix's The Lincoln Lawyer. More recently, Tenney appeared as Congressman Russell in three episodes of Prime Video's Cruel Intentions in 2024, a modern adaptation of the film exploring elite college scandals. He is set to co-star opposite Kevin Kline in the upcoming MGM+ comedy series American Classic in 2025.[33]Film roles
Jon Tenney began his film career in the early 1990s with supporting roles in major studio productions, establishing himself as a reliable character actor capable of portraying authoritative or antagonistic figures. In the Western classic Tombstone (1993), he played Sheriff Johnny Behan, the corrupt lawman aligned with the Clanton gang, whose oily charm and political maneuvering heightened the film's tensions within its ensemble cast of historical figures.[34] Behind the scenes, Tenney's portrayal required a fake mustache, as he was the only actor in the production clean-shaven due to commitments from a prior project, contrasting the real facial hair grown by stars like Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer.[35] The film's ensemble dynamics, including Tenney's Behan as a foil to Wyatt Earp, contributed to its enduring popularity as a gritty retelling of the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral.[36] The following year, Tenney took on the role of John Milner, the ruthless CEO of Benbrook Oil Company, in the family adventure Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home (1994), where his villainous pursuit of the orca Willy drove much of the plot's conflict against environmental themes.[37] He also appeared as Detective Levine, one of the bumbling Beverly Hills police officers outwitted by Eddie Murphy's Axel Foley, in the action-comedy Beverly Hills Cop III (1994), adding to the franchise's satirical take on law enforcement incompetence.[38] These mid-1990s roles showcased Tenney's ability to embody slick antagonists or comic relief in high-profile blockbusters. In the romantic comedy Fools Rush In (1997), Tenney portrayed Jeff, the supportive best friend to Matthew Perry's Alex Whitman, providing grounded advice amid the cultural clashes and whirlwind romance with Salma Hayek's character.[39] His television prominence, particularly from series like The Closer, later facilitated opportunities in bigger films, such as his turn as Martin Jordan, the heroic test pilot father of Ryan Reynolds' Green Lantern, in the 2011 superhero origin story Green Lantern, where the character's sacrificial death profoundly impacts the protagonist's arc.[40] Tenney has also contributed to independent cinema, often in nuanced character parts that explore emotional depth. In the critically acclaimed drama You Can Count on Me (2000), he played Bob, the intermittent boyfriend of Laura Linney's single mother Sammy, whose well-intentioned but flawed presence underscores themes of family instability and personal growth. In the 2010 drama Rabbit Hole, directed by John Cameron Mitchell, Tenney portrayed Rick, a colleague offering quiet support to Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart's grieving parents, contributing to the film's intimate examination of loss and recovery.[41] In the 2018 film adaptation of Anton Chekhov's The Seagull, directed by Michael Mayer, Tenney played the doctor Dorn, a philosophical figure in the ensemble led by Annette Bening and Saoirse Ronan, adding depth to the story of unrequited love and artistic ambition. He took a lead role as Detective Greg Harper in the 2019 psychological thriller I See You, investigating a missing child while facing supernatural disturbances in his home, opposite Helen Hunt. More recently, he appeared as the Pub MC in the whimsical romance Wild Mountain Thyme (2020), a minor but lively role in the ensemble led by Emily Blunt and Jamie Dornan, and as Tom Woods, a key figure in the tense psychological thriller 88 (2022), where his performance added layers to the story of isolation and revenge.[42][43] These indie efforts highlight Tenney's range beyond mainstream fare, emphasizing subtle interpersonal dynamics over lead status.Personal life
Marriages
Jon Tenney married actress Teri Hatcher on May 27, 1994, after meeting on a blind date the previous year.[44][45] The couple's union lasted nearly nine years, ending when Hatcher filed for divorce citing irreconcilable differences in March 2003.[46][47] In public statements following the split, Hatcher attributed some marital strains to the lasting effects of childhood sexual abuse, which she revealed in a 2006 Vanity Fair interview as contributing to intimacy issues and emotional challenges during their relationship.[48][49] Tenney remarried on June 16, 2012, to film producer and theater executive Leslie Urdang, with whom he has maintained a stable partnership as of 2025.[50][51] The couple met through professional circles in the entertainment industry and has kept their personal life relatively private, avoiding major public controversies.[52]Family
Jon Tenney and his former wife Teri Hatcher welcomed their only child, daughter Emerson Rose Tenney, on November 10, 1997, in Los Angeles, California.[53] Emerson, now an aspiring actress and voice artist, has occasionally appeared in minor roles and maintains a close relationship with both parents.[54] Following their 2003 divorce, Tenney and Hatcher established a cooperative co-parenting dynamic focused on their daughter's well-being, navigating occasional custody challenges through legal means before resolving them amicably.[55] This arrangement has allowed Emerson to benefit from active involvement from both parents in her life and career pursuits.[53] Tenney's commitment to family is rooted in the values emphasized by his parents during his upbringing in Princeton, New Jersey, where stability and support were prioritized.[20]Filmography
Film
Jon Tenney's feature film credits, listed chronologically, are as follows:[2]- 1991: Guilty by Suspicion (Shopper Husband)
- 1993: Watch It (Michael)
- 1993: Tombstone (Johnny Behan)
- 1994: Beverly Hills Cop III (Levine)
- 1994: Lassie (Steve Turner)
- 1995: Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home (John Milner)
- 1995: Nixon (Reporter #1)
- 1996: The Phantom (Jimmy Wells)
- 1996: The Twilight of the Golds (Rob Stein)
- 1997: Fools Rush In (Jeff)
- 1997: Lovelife (Alan)
- 1998: Homegrown (Helicopter Pilot)
- 1998: Music from Another Room (Eric)
- 1998: With Friends Like These... (Dorian Mastandrea)
- 1999: Advice from a Caterpillar (Suit)
- 2000: You Can Count on Me (Bob Steegerson)
- 2002: Buying the Cow (Andrew Hahn)
- 2009: The Stepfather (Jay)
- 2010: Legion (Howard Anderson)
- 2010: Rabbit Hole (Rick)
- 2011: Green Lantern (Martin Jordan)
- 2011: Hide Away (The Divorced Man)
- 2013: As Cool as I Am (Bob)
- 2014: The Best of Me (Harvey Collier)
- 2015: Love the Coopers (Dr. Morrissey)
- 2018: The Seagull (Dorn)
- 2019: I See You (Greg Harper)
- 2020: Wild Mountain Thyme (Pub MC)[13]
- 2022: 88 (Tom Woods)[56]
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