Wink Martindale, host of multiple major game shows including 'Gambit,' 'High Rollers,' and 'Trivial Pursuit' has died. He was 91 years old.
Wink Martindale, Prolific Game Show Host, Dies at 91 https://t.co/NHAfnqTf6J
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) April 15, 2025
More from The Hollywood Reporter:
Wink Martindale, a rock ‘n’ roll disc jockey and good friend of Elvis Presley who gained fame as the host of such TV game shows as Tic-Tac-Dough, Gambit and High Rollers, died Tuesday in Rancho Mirage, a publicist announced. He was 91.
The friendly Martindale, who had a 74-year career, was known for his resonant voice, vivid sport coats and, especially, his curious first name.
'When I was a kid in Jackson, Tennessee, one of my playmates, Jimmy McCord, couldn’t say ‘Winston,’ which is my given name. He had a speech impediment, and it came out sounding like ‘Winky,’ ' Martindale explained to ABC News in 2014. 'So Winston turned into Winky, and then I got into the business and Wink it was! It served me well.'
Martindale was born in Jackson, Tennessee in 1933 and got his first job in radio from his Sunday school teacher who owned WPLI. Martindale was 17 and paid $25 a week.
He moved on to WHBQ in Memphis, where he hosted a morning radio show and kids' television program 'Wink Martindale of Mars Patrol' in the afternoon. In 1959 he transferred to KHJ in Los Angeles.
He eventually hosted NBC's 'What's That Song?', the first of the twenty game shows he'd host (only the late Bill Cullen hosted more).
He was the pinnacle of game show hosts. Wink Martindale, not only the best in the business, the man with the best name ever. RIP Wink!
— Susan (Bermuda Triangle) Sue 👽 (@PR1NCEFAN_Colo) April 16, 2025
When you think of 'game show hosts', Martindale is in the top five.
RIP. Part of my childhood.
— Betsy Metsy (@metsygirl203) April 16, 2025
He was a part of a lot of childhoods.
Wink was awesome & gave us one of the best all time memes, which is largely inappropriate at this time: https://t.co/3sXvHggffb pic.twitter.com/p6vRjGxr2b
— Sons of Killmonger & Disciple of Dark Brandon (@2Strong2Silence) April 16, 2025
Welp.
Sad to hear this. Oddly I was watching Tic Tac Dough in 1980 when @13abc put a crawl on the screen that the US beat the USSR in the Miracle on Ice game.
— Thomsen419 (@Thomsen419) April 16, 2025
In addition to being a prolific game show host Wink also had a top 10 hit on the @billboard charts. https://t.co/dMx6Awo9Mb
That hit was 1959's cover of the song 'Deck of Cards', which sold over a million copies.
A day after the new "Tic Tac Dough" premiered on Game Show Network with host Brooke Burns. https://t.co/BRfKnUFHeg
— Andrew Beebe 🟧 (@Andy_Beebe) April 15, 2025
His work was clearly done.
The first game show host I remember as a kid and let's be honest, Wink Martindale is a tremendous name.
— Will Mahoney (@HeelWillMahoney) April 16, 2025
Tic Tac Dough and High Rollers we're absolutely my jam. https://t.co/H9zntpli7l
Those were both awesome.
Martindale is survived by his wife, Sandy, his sister Geraldine, daughters Lisa, Lyn, and Laura, and 'honorary' son Eric.
Our condolences to his family, friends, and loved ones.
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