Television icon Wink Martindale, best known for hosting classic game shows like Tic-Tac-Dough and Gambit, has passed away at the age of 91. According to a press release, he died peacefully on April 15 at his home in Rancho Mirage, California, with his wife of 49 years, Sandra Martindale, and family by his side.
Ana Martinez of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce announced that memorial flowers would be placed on Martindale’s Hollywood Walk of Fame star, located at 7018 Hollywood Blvd, as a tribute from the Hollywood community.
Born in Jackson, Tennessee, Martindale began his career in radio at just 17. He later worked at WHBQ in Memphis, where he witnessed music history firsthand. On July 10, 1954, when Elvis Presley’s debut record That’s All Right aired for the first time, Martindale contacted Presley’s mother and helped arrange an early radio interview with the young star. In a 2018 interview, Martindale recalled finding Elvis alone at a theater, too nervous to listen to his song on air. That night sparked a lifelong friendship between the two.
Martindale’s transition to television began with shows like Mars Patrol and Teenage Dance Party, where Elvis made an appearance in 1956. His game show career took off with What’s This Song? in 1964, and he went on to host numerous others including Words and Music, Gambit, High Rollers, The Last Word, Debt, and Trivial Pursuit. He also produced programs like Headline Chasers and was known for his love of connecting with contestants.
Outside of TV, Martindale found musical success with his 1959 spoken-word hit Deck of Cards, which sold over a million copies and reached No. 7 on the Billboard charts. In later years, he appeared on The Chase, The Bold and the Beautiful, and in commercials for Orbitz and KFC.
Martindale received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2006 and was honored with a Beale Street Note in Memphis. He also received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Memphis and was among the inaugural inductees into the American TV Game Show Hall of Fame.
Known for his generosity, Martindale supported several charities, including St. Jude Children’s Hospital and Cerebral Palsy telethons. He is survived by his wife Sandra, sister Geraldine, daughters Lisa, Lyn, and Laura, a large family of grandchildren and great-grandchildren, his honorary son Eric, and his beloved Chihuahua, Dude.