Wink Martindale, an early innovator in hosting game shows and known for his work on “Tic-Tac-Dough,” “Gambit,” and “High Rollers,” passed away on Tuesday. He was 91 years old.
The news about Wink Martindale’s passing was officially confirmed on his Facebook page, where it was announced in a post that shared an obituary. The message read, “We at Wink Martindale Games are deeply saddened and heavy-hearted to report the demise of the iconic Wink Martindale. He was incredible, witty, and gifted. Indeed, he was a true LEGEND! More details will follow soon.
Martindale worked in the radio and television industry for 74 years, starting off as a disc jockey at just 17. He gained recognition at WHBQ, a station based in Memphis. Notably, it was DJ Dewey Phillips who first played Elvis Presley’s debut single, “That’s All Right,” on air in 1954. Upon listening to the song, Martindale contacted Presley’s mother to invite him for a talk at his station. This conversation is believed to have played a significant role in kick-starting the career of a then-unknown Elvis Presley.
Martindale personally launched several hit albums, one of which was the spoken-word piece “Deck of Cards,” which reached number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 and surpassed sales of one million units.
Back in the swinging ’60s, I packed my bags and headed westward, settling in the City of Angels – Los Angeles. Soon enough, I found myself hosting shows on KHJ radio, a role that would kickstart an impressive career spanning multiple stations across greater LA. Among these were KRLA, KFBW, KGIL-AM, and KMPC, where I continued to share my passion for film and entertainment with the city I now proudly called home.
1964 marked the start of his career as a game show host, with “What’s This Song?” being his debut show. He would subsequently move to other shows such as “Gambit,” “Words and Music,” and “Tic-Tac-Dough.” Additionally, he hosted various other programs like “The Last Word,” “The Great Getaway Game,” “Trivial Pursuit,” “Headline Chasers” among others.
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2025-04-16 02:46