Born in Somerville, Massachusetts, in 1893, among his many roles, Tead might be best remembered as the semi-recurring character "Professor Pepperwinkle," an eccentric inventor, in several of the color episodes of the 1950s TV series Adventures of Superman.

[1] A visible early role is his appearance in Horse Feathers, the 1932 Marx Brothers comedy, in which he plays a radio play-by-play announcer at the film's climactic college football game.

In the early 1950s he turned his attention primarily to television, appearing in various western series as well as Superman.

In 1957 Tead appeared as Young on the TV western series Cheyenne in the episode titled "Land Beyond the Law."

In 1967 Tead appeared in an uncredited role as Padre on the TV western The Big Valley in the episode titled "Days of Grace."