Cliff Notes – Game show host Wink Martindale dies aged 91
- Wink Martindale, renowned US game show host, passed away at the age of 91 after a battle with cancer, surrounded by family and his wife of 49 years, Sandra.
- He was best known for hosting popular game shows such as Gambit, Tic-Tac-Dough, and Debt, and began his career as a DJ and recording artist.
- Martindale received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2006 and is survived by his family, including daughters and grandchildren.
Game show host Wink Martindale dies aged 91
US game show host Wink Martindale has died (Picture: Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)
Game show host Wink Martindale has died aged 91.
The US TV star and radio presenter was best known for hosting Gambit from 1972 to 1976 and Tic-Tac-Dough from 1978 to 1985.
He went on to present High Rollers from 1987 to 1988 and Debt from 1996 to 1998.
His family said in a statement (via Deadline) that he was ‘surrounded by family and his beloved wife of 49 years, Sandra Martindale’.
According to TMZ, Martindale died after being diagnosed with cancer around a year ago.
His representative told the publication that his health ‘took a turn for the worst’ two weeks ago and he was in hospital when he died after his lymphoma diagnosis.
Martindale was the host of Debt as well as Gambit and Tic-Tac-Dough (Picture: AP Photo/Nick Ut, File)
He died after a cancer diagnosis (Picture: John Salangsang/BFA.com/Shutters)
Martindale was born in Jackson, Tennessee in 1933 and launched his career as a DJ at the age of 17.
He found success as a recording artist with his 1959 spoken-word song Deck of Cards that soared to the number seven spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number five on the UK Singles Chart.
As well as various radio credits, Martindale hosted a science-fiction children’s programme called Mars Patrol as well as Teenage Dance Party, which saw an appearance from Elvis Presley.
Martindale had a career in radio presenting and DJing before hosting game shows (Picture: David Silpa/UPI/Shutterstock)
His first game-show hosting gig was What’s This Song? in 1964 (Picture: CBS via Getty Images)
His first game-show hosting gig came in 1964 with NBC’s What’s This Song? before Gambit and Tic-Tac-Dough, his biggest successes.
‘A good host is a person who loves people,’ he said in a 2017 interview, according to Deadline.
‘If you’re a people person, you’re naturally going to be attracted to contestants, and it’s easy for you to be able to interact with those people.’
He died surrounded by his family and wife of 49 years, Sandra (Picture: John Salangsang/BFA.com/Shutters)
In recent years, he appeared on the likes of Most Outrageous Game Show Moments, The Chase, The Bold and the Beautiful and advertisements for KFC and Orbitz.
He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2006.
He is survived by his sister, daughters, grandchildren, great grandchildren and wife.