According to the official Facebook page, game show host Wink Martindale, known for “Tic-Tac-Dough”, “High Rollers” and “Gambit”, has been killed. He was 91 years old.
“Wink was great, funny and talented,” reads the post on his Facebook page. “Really legend!”
According to the Nashville Publicity Group, the Winston Martindale-born host has a 74-year career and has confirmed Martindale’s death. No cause of death was given.
“The entire game show network family lamentes the loss of the original ‘Tic-Tac-Dough’ hosts Wink Martindale and True Legend of Television game shows,” the game show network posted on social media. “His charm and presence illuminates the screen for generations of viewers, and he will never be forgotten.”
According to his Hollywood Walk of Fame biographies, Martindale’s professional career began when he was only 17 years old. Jackson, Tennessee, worked as a disc jockey for several years, even had a rendition of the spoken word song “Deck Cards” chart on the Billboard Hot 100.
According to Hollywood Walk of Fame, his television career began as a host of the children’s science fiction program “Mars Patrol,” according to Hollywood Walk of Fame, which was starred by Martindale in 2006.
While on WHBQ-TV, Martindale began hosting the “Teenage Dance Party,” where Elvis Presley joined in with one appearance. The two were like that Long-time friends;Presley went on a date with Martindale’s wife Sandy before they got married.
Ilver Screen Collection/Getty Image
In 1964, Martindale landed a job hosting NBC’s “What’s This Song.” Other hosting credits include “Words and Music,” “Can You Stop This,” and “Headline Chasers.” According to his 2000 autobiography, he hosted more than 12 game shows.
According to IMDB, he hosted “Tic-tac-dough” on CBS from 1978 to 1985. Martindale held 185 episodes of NBC’s “High Roller” between 1987 and 1988. His show “Gambit,” based on Blackjack, was produced by Hetter-Kigley Productions.
“I remember auditioning virtually every possible host. It befalls Dick Clark and me. This was when I defeated Dick Clark,” Martindale told the Television Academy Foundation in 2018.
He also told the Television Academy Foundation that he likes to meet so many different people while working on game shows.
“It’s fun to know what people do,” he told the Television Academy Foundation. “When you play the game, you see why some people are more successful than others. But I love working with people and I love talking.”
In recent years, Martindale has appeared in programs such as “The Most Outrageous Gameshow Moment,” “The Chase,” and “The Bold and the Beautiful,” according to his spokesperson. He also appeared in commercials for Orbitz and KFC.
Martindale is survived by his wife, daughter and sister.
