Wink Martindale, the affable game show host and one of the first TV interviewers of Elvis Presley, has passed away at 91.
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Wink Martindale, Beloved Game Show Host and Radio Personality, Dies at 91
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Wink Martindale, the affable host of classic game shows like Gambit and Tic-Tac-Dough and a pioneering figure in early television and radio, has died at 91. He passed away Tuesday at Eisenhower Health in Rancho Mirage, California, after a year-long battle with lymphoma, his publicist Brian Mayes confirmed.
Known for his warm presence and signature smile, Martindale became a household name in the 1970s with Gambit, which debuted in September 1972 alongside game show staples The Price is Right and The Joker’s Wild. His philosophy for success? “KISS — Keep It Simple Stupid,” he wrote in his 2000 memoir Winking at Life.
When Gambit ended in 1976, Martindale rebounded with Tic-Tac-Dough in 1978, which ran until 1985. The show featured the legendary 88-game win streak of Navy Lt. Thom McKee, who walked away with over $300,000 in cash and prizes—a game show record at the time.
Over the course of his career, Martindale hosted nearly two dozen game shows and gave away millions in prizes. He credited his early radio days for helping him think on his feet, describing the thrill of working with contestants and watching their lives change.
Born Winston Conrad Martindale on Dec. 4, 1933, in Jackson, Tennessee, he began his career in radio at 17. While working in Memphis, he witnessed the historic moment Elvis Presley’s That’s All Right was first played on the air. He later interviewed Presley on his TV show Top Ten Dance Party in 1956, and they stayed in touch for years.
In 1959, Martindale moved to Los Angeles and found success across radio and television. That year, he also had a hit spoken-word single, Deck of Cards, which reached No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. His first network TV hosting gig came in 1964 with NBC’s What’s This Song?
Over the decades, he continued to appear on and produce game shows, including Debt, Headline Chasers, and Bumper Stumpers. He also returned to radio in later years with shows like The 100 Greatest Christmas Hits of All Time and The History of Rock ‘n’ Roll.
Martindale is survived by Sandy, his wife of 49 years, daughters Lisa, Madelyn, and Laura, and several grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his son, Wink Jr., from his first marriage.
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