Born in Paris, France, he was the son of noted director Maurice Tourneur. As a young man, Jacques went to live in New York City and proceeded to Hollywood with his father. He is famous for directing three atmospheric "horror" movies (in fact, film noir-influenced films of understated terror) with producer Val Lewton at RKO Radio Pictures in the 1940s: Cat People, I Walked with a Zombie and The Leopard Man. His 1957 film Night of the Demon also enjoys a high reputation and is considered one of the best horror/supernatural films in movie history. Tourneur also directed one of the classics of film noir, Out of the Past, in 1947.

In 1964 Tourneur directed an episode of The Twilight Zone, "Night Call" (Episode 139, February 7, 1964), which proved to be an excellent showcase for Tourneur's directing style. His television work also included episodes of Adventures in Paradise ("A Bride for the Captain", 1962), Bonanza ("Denver McKee", 1962), and T.H.E. Cat (1966).

He met his wife, actress Christiane Virideau, while assisting his father on the 1929 German film production Das Schiff der verlorenen Menschen ("The Ship of Lost Men").

Jacques Tourneur died in 1977 in Bergerac, Dordogne, France.

Jacques Tourneur received recognition for his contribution to the film industry in Chris Fujiwara's 1998 book Jacques Tourneur: The Cinema of Nightfall.