Del Tenney was born in the picturesque city of Mason City, Iowa, and at the tender age of twelve, he embarked on a life-changing journey with his parents to the sun-kissed state of California. As he grew older, he enrolled in Los Angeles City and State College, where he discovered a passion for the performing arts, and his interest in theater led him to become an accomplished actor, making a name for himself in the industry during his young adult years.
Tenney's acting career spanned various mediums, including stage productions, extra work in films such as Stalag 17 (1953) and The Wild One (1953),and later, he made his way to New York City in pursuit of new opportunities. Although he found success in various endeavors, including working in restaurants and as a detective, he also managed to secure roles in summer stock productions.
As his career progressed, Tenney decided to shift his focus from in front of the camera to behind the scenes, starting out as an assistant director on a series of low-budget films. He then co-wrote and co-directed, albeit without credit, his production of Violent Midnight (1963),a suspenseful film set in Connecticut, which starred Shepperd Strudwick, Jean Hale, Sylvia Miles, and Margot Hartman, who also happened to be his wife, Mrs. Tenney.
Tenney's most notable contributions to the film industry, however, came with the release of two schlock horror classics: The Horror of Party Beach (1964) and The Curse of the Living Corpse (1964),the latter of which held a special place in his heart.
