Wink Martindale
Dead at 91
Published
Wink Martindale is high rolling with God now … the iconic TV game show host died Tuesday following a cancer battle.
Wink’s publicists say the host of “High Rollers,” “Tic-Tac-Dough” and “Gambit” passed away in the SoCal desert city of Rancho Mirage, and was surrounded by family … including his wife Sandra Martindale.
He’d been battling lymphoma for about a year, and was doing well, according to his rep Brian Mayes … but about 2 weeks ago, Wink took a turn for the worst, and was in a hospital getting treatment when he died.
Wink, whose birth name was Winston Conrad, got his start down South as a radio DJ in the early ’50s in Memphis.
He was actually working at WHBQ when the station became the first to play Elvis Presley‘s debut hit, “That’s All Right” in 1954 — and he reportedly invited Elvis down to the station for his very first interview.
He and the King became lifelong friends, and after Elvis’ 1977 death … Wink hosted a nationally broadcast radio tribute show. He actually met his wife through Elvis, who she’d previously dated.
In the ’60s, Wink made the jump to L.A. radio stations, and then TV stations … where his first game show hosting gig was “What’s This Song?” in 1964.
“Tic-Tac-Dough” was definitely his breakout show, though, which he hosted from 1978 to 1985. In addition to “High Rollers” … he also hosted “Headline Chasers,” “Trivial Pursuit,” “The Last Word” and “The Great Getaway Game.”
Wink got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2006, and the city where he got his start, Memphis … gave him a similar honor on Beale Street.
2009
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He was also front and center when singer Crystal Gayle got her star, which was placed right next to his.
Wink is survived by 3 daughters, several grandchildren and Sandra, to whom he was married for 49 years.
He was 91.
RIP