Wink Martindale, Legendary Game Show Host, Dies at 91

Martindale died peacefully, surrounded by his family and his wife of 49 years, Sandra Martindale, according to a statement released by his publicist.

With a warm smile, distinctive voice, and signature charm, Martindale built a career that spanned radio, television, and even a brief stint as a recording artist. Over several decades, he became a household name in American entertainment, hosting or producing more than 20 game shows, including Debt, Trivial Pursuit, and Headline Chasers.

Born Winston Conrad Martindale on December 4, 1933, in Jackson, Tennessee, he earned the nickname “Wink” as a child when a friend mispronounced his given name. The name stuck—except briefly in 1964, when NBC rebranded him as “Win Martindale” for his first national show, What’s This Song?

“Not really, because I loved those checks,” he quipped in a 2017 interview. “They can call me anything they want.”

Martindale’s enduring appeal stemmed from his ability to connect with audiences. He believed game shows resonated because they were familiar, accessible, and fun. “When [viewers] say to themselves, ‘I could have gotten that,’ you’ve got them,” he once said.

Though best remembered for Tic-Tac-Dough, which reached peak popularity during the legendary winning streak of contestant Lt. Thom McKee, Martindale was also a pioneering figure in Los Angeles radio. He began his career in 1951 at age 17 and quickly climbed the ranks at local stations before landing his dream job at WHBQ in Memphis.

There, in 1954, he witnessed a defining moment in music history. Martindale was present when DJ Dewey Phillips aired a demo of “That’s All Right” by a then-unknown Elvis Presley. The buzz was so immediate that Presley was pulled from a movie theater for his first live radio interview—a moment Martindale later described as “the night the course of popular music changed forever.”

Martindale’s radio success led to opportunities in television. In 1953, he hosted Wink Martindale of the Mars Patrol, a children’s show that featured interviews with kids and clips from Flash Gordon. He also co-hosted Top 10 Dance Party and even persuaded Presley to appear on the show in 1956.

Although Martindale recorded music himself—scoring a surprise hit in 1959 with Deck of Cards—he remained best known for his game show legacy. “That’s a lot of shows,” he said in 1996. “It either means everybody wants me to do their show, or I can’t hold a job.”

In later years, Martindale was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2006 and inducted into the American TV Game Show Hall of Fame in 2007. Despite the changing media landscape, he remained proud of his genre. “Most people like games,” he said. “I just seemed to glide from one to the other.”

Martindale is survived by his wife, Sandra; his sister, Geraldine; his daughters Lisa, Lyn, and Laura; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.