# Jon Tenney
**Jon Tenney** (Jonathan Frederick Tenney) is an American actor best known for playing FBI Agent Fritz Howard for seven seasons on the TNT crime series *The Closer* and for film roles in *You Can Count on Me* (2000) and *Tombstone* (1993). Born in 1961 in [Princeton, New Jersey](https://www.edgepedia.org/princeton-new-jersey), he has worked on Broadway, Off-Broadway, in television, and in film, and has also directed and produced television episodes.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1961, Princeton, New Jersey, USA[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0855103) |
| Signature TV role | FBI Agent Fritz Howard on *The Closer*, seven seasons opposite Kyra Sedgwick; reprised in *Major Crimes* and directed episodes of both[2](https://www.geffenplayhouse.org/people/jon-tenney/) |
| Education | B.A. in drama and philosophy, Vassar College, 1984; Juilliard School Drama Division from 1986[3](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/jon-tenney/bio/3000395964/) |
| Professional debut | Star of Mike Nichols's national touring production of Tom Stoppard's *The Real Thing*[3](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/jon-tenney/bio/3000395964/) |
| Other notable TV roles | Vice President Andrew Nichols on *Scandal*; Sean King, the male lead of TNT's *King & Maxwell*[2](https://www.geffenplayhouse.org/people/jon-tenney/) • [4](https://www.tvline.com/interviews/jon-tenney-king-and-maxwell-preview-major-crimes-return-445576/) |
| Best-reviewed film | *You Can Count on Me* (2000), 95% on Rotten Tomatoes, in which he played Bob[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jon_tenney) |
| Marriage | Married to producer Leslie Urdang since 16 June 2012; previously married to actress Teri Hatcher[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0855103) |
## Training and stage career
Tenney received a B.A. in drama and philosophy from [Vassar College](https://www.edgepedia.org/vassar-college) in 1984 and entered the [Juilliard School](https://www.edgepedia.org/juilliard-school)'s Drama Division in 1986[3](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/jon-tenney/bio/3000395964/). His studies were interrupted when the director [Mike Nichols](https://www.edgepedia.org/mike-nichols) cast him in the national touring company of Tom Stoppard's *The Real Thing*, which the TV Guide biography describes as his professional debut in a starring role[3](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/jon-tenney/bio/3000395964/) • [5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jon_tenney).
His Broadway credits include [Neil Simon](https://www.edgepedia.org/neil-simon)'s *Brighton Beach Memoirs* and *Biloxi Blues*, *Sweet Sue* with [Mary Tyler Moore](https://www.edgepedia.org/mary-tyler-moore) and [Lynn Redgrave](https://www.edgepedia.org/lynn-redgrave), and the Tony Award-winning revival of *The Heiress*, in which he appeared opposite Cherry Jones[2](https://www.geffenplayhouse.org/people/jon-tenney/) • [5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jon_tenney). Off-Broadway he appeared in Jon Robin Baitz's *The Substance of Fire* at Playwrights Horizons and Lincoln Center Theater, John Guare's *Chaucer in Rome*, John Patrick Shanley's *Beggars in the House of Plenty* and David Marshall Grant's *Current Events* at Manhattan Theatre Club, Beth Henley's *Impossible Marriage* opposite Holly Hunter at the Roundabout Theatre Company, and *Tuesdays with Morrie* opposite Alvin Epstein[2](https://www.geffenplayhouse.org/people/jon-tenney/).
In Los Angeles he has appeared at the Geffen Playhouse three times: as Bobby Gould in [David Mamet](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-mamet)'s *Speed-the-Plow* (2007), as Mike in David Lindsay-Abaire's *Good People* (2012), and as Jack in *Big Sky* (2016)[2](https://www.geffenplayhouse.org/people/jon-tenney/).
## Television
Tenney began in television with small roles in the ABC daytime drama *Ryan's Hope* and guest appearances on *Spencer: For Hire*; his first series was the short-lived Fox effort *The Dirty Dozen* (1988)[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jon_tenney). A 1989 episode of *Murphy Brown*, in which he played Miles Silverberg's brother, brought him to the attention of casting directors, and he followed it with the role of Peter Bauer opposite [Sarah Jessica Parker](https://www.edgepedia.org/sarah-jessica-parker) on ABC's *Equal Justice* (1990–91)[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jon_tenney).
His best-known television work is the role of FBI Agent Fritz Howard on TNT's *The Closer*, starring opposite [Kyra Sedgwick](https://www.edgepedia.org/kyra-sedgwick) for seven seasons[2](https://www.geffenplayhouse.org/people/jon-tenney/). He reprised the role in the spin-off *Major Crimes* and directed episodes of both series[2](https://www.geffenplayhouse.org/people/jon-tenney/). As a cast member he received five nominations for the [Screen Actors Guild](https://www.edgepedia.org/screen-actors-guild) award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series, in 2006 and from 2008 through 2011[3](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/jon-tenney/bio/3000395964/).
He later fronted TNT's *King & Maxwell* (2013), an adaptation of [David Baldacci](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-baldacci)'s novels, as former Secret Service agent Sean King opposite [Rebecca Romijn](https://www.edgepedia.org/rebecca-romijn)[4](https://www.tvline.com/interviews/jon-tenney-king-and-maxwell-preview-major-crimes-return-445576/), and played Vice President Andrew Nichols on ABC's *Scandal*[2](https://www.geffenplayhouse.org/people/jon-tenney/). Other credits include *Brooklyn South*, on which he played Patrol Sergeant Francis X. Donovan, *Good Company*, *The Newsroom*, *Longmire*, *True Detective*, *The Romanoffs*, *Hand of God*, and *The Lincoln Lawyer*[3](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/jon-tenney/bio/3000395964/) • [2](https://www.geffenplayhouse.org/people/jon-tenney/) • [6](https://www.metacritic.com/person/jon-tenney/).
## Film
Tenney's film work spans more than three decades, from *Guilty by Suspicion* (1991) and *Tombstone* (1993), in which he played Cochise County Sheriff John Behan, through *You Can Count on Me* (2000), *Rabbit Hole* (2010), *Green Lantern* (2011), and the thriller *I See You* (2019), in which he played Greg Harper[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jon_tenney) • [7](https://www.fandango.com/people/jon-tenney-669524/film-credits). On Rotten Tomatoes his highest-rated film is *You Can Count on Me* at 95% and his lowest is *Beverly Hills Cop III* (1994) at 11%[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jon_tenney). He also appeared in the 2018 film adaptation of Chekhov's *The Seagull* opposite [Annette Bening](https://www.edgepedia.org/annette-bening) and [Saoirse Ronan](https://www.edgepedia.org/saoirse-ronan)[2](https://www.geffenplayhouse.org/people/jon-tenney/).
## Personal life
Tenney was married to actress Teri Hatcher, whom he met during her run on *Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman*; they divorced in 2003[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0855103) • [5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jon_tenney). He has been married to film producer Leslie Urdang since 16 June 2012[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0855103).
## References
1. [Jon Tenney, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0855103)
2. [Jon Tenney, Geffen Playhouse](https://www.geffenplayhouse.org/people/jon-tenney/)
3. [Jon Tenney Biography, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/jon-tenney/bio/3000395964/)
4. [Jon Tenney Previews 'King & Maxwell', TVLine](https://www.tvline.com/interviews/jon-tenney-king-and-maxwell-preview-major-crimes-return-445576/)
5. [Jon Tenney, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jon_tenney)
6. [Jon Tenney, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/person/jon-tenney/)
7. [Jon Tenney Film Credits, Fandango](https://www.fandango.com/people/jon-tenney-669524/film-credits)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 1970s to 1990s › Surnames Sw to T*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license