Tepper starred opposite Karen Black in "Drive, He Said", which also marked Jack Nicholson's debut as a film director. Tepper and Nicholson traveled to the 1971 Cannes Film Festival for the film's debut. Tepper's other film roles included "Breathless" in 1983 and a co-starring role in the 1984 Tom Hanks film, "Bachelor Party", as well as the 1970s television series, "Ironside" and "Kojak".