Although Tessier starred in many films and TV roles over his career, probably two of his best remembered film roles were as the menacing, karate-wielding convict "Connie Shokner" in the 1974 comedy-drama The Longest Yard with Burt Reynolds (whom he counted as one of his friends) and as Kevin in The Deep. He also played a bare knuckle fighter in the Charles Bronson film Hard Times.