- Preston Sturges wrote in a trade paper advertisement, "If you have a middle-aged character part, either Gentile or Jewish, either comic or dramatic, I urge you to give it to Tannen, and I guarantee that you will be enchanted by his authority, his unction, his voice, his theatrical resource, and his profound ability".
- Son of a vaudevillian, he was a general-purpose actor who worked primarily at 20th Century-Fox. He appeared in innumerable cameos and bit parts, often as reporters, photographers or stage managers.
- Brother of William Tannen.
- Son of Julius Tannen.
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