The host of popular game shows including “Gambit” and “Tic-Tac-Dough,” Wink Martindale, was a radio and television celebrity who passed away.
He has a certain appeal about him.
Wink Martindale was more than just a well-known television personality to many Americans growing up; he was a source of comfort, joy, and happiness.
People can still remember the thrill of Tic-Tac-Dough, the fast-paced intensity of Headline Chasers, and the exhilaration of High Rollers. But Gambit’s attack was different. That was the show that truly connected with the audience. Because of his charm and the way he brought the game to life, Wink gave you the impression that he was welcome you into something special.
Winston Conrad Martindale was born in Jackson, Tennessee, on December 4, 1933. He started working as a disc jockey at WPLI in his hometown when he was seventeen years old, making $25 per week.
In a 2014 interview with ABC News, he thought back to how he got his famous nickname. “When I was a kid in Jackson, Tenn., one of my playmates, Jimmy McCord, couldn’t say ‘Winston,’ which is my given name, and he had a speech impediment, and it came out sounding like ‘Winky,'” he said. As a result, Winston became Winky, and I went inside the company and Winked!
In his early career, Martindale did more than merely spin music. He made his television debut as host of WHBQ-TV’s science fiction children’s show Mars Patrol. But it was immediately clear that Wink was meant for show business, whether it was behind the microphone or in front of the camera.
When he was hired to host the brand-new game show Gambit on CBS in 1972, it was his first big break. After the show was a success, Martindale remained the emcee for four more years.
Regarding his connection to Elvis Presley
Before he became a game show celebrity, Wink was at the center of rock ‘n’ roll history, which started with his good friend Elvis Presley.
On the evening of July 10, 1954, Martindale was escorting a group of pals around the Memphis WHBQ radio studio. Then he noticed something odd: phone lines were flaming during his colleague Dewey Phillips’ 9 p.m. program. Why? A brand-new song from Elvis Presley’s debut album, “That’s All Right,” was causing a stir.
The song had been produced at Sun Studio five days earlier by a producer who was not Dewey’s relative, Sam Phillips. Sam gave the album to WHBQ on July 6 and by July 10 people were paying attention. Dewey wanted to interview Elvis on-air right away, but there was only one problem: no one could find him.
Then Wink picked up the phone and called the Presley residence. In response, Elvis Presley’s mother Gladys stated that her son had gone to a movie to unwind because he was so nervous about how the song would be received. She brought Wink down to the studio as he requested.
When Elvis and his parents arrived, Dewey sat him down for an interview. The best feature? Elvis didn’t realize he was live on the air. Elvis admitted that he was so shy at the time that he probably couldn’t have spoken if he had known, as Wink would subsequently recall.
This incident wasn’t just a footnote in music history; it helped pave the way for Elvis Presley’s ascent to prominence. Wink Martindale was there to witness it.
That part of Elvis that surprised him
Wink Martindale discovered that it was not just Elvis Presley’s fame or music that truly attracted him, but also his generosity.
“What surprised him most about Presley was that he was a giver,” according to Martindale.
He claimed that very few people knew that he had given millions and millions of dollars to charities both in the United States and abroad.
Sandra, Wink’s wife, had dated Elvis Presley on and off before she married Martindale in 1975, shortly before he married Priscilla in 1967.
But in a surprising change of events, Sandra claimed that the King himself was responsible for her finding her true love.
In a 2015 interview, she claimed that “Elvis is responsible for me marrying Wink,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.
[Martindale] said he was from Tennessee, and I thought, ‘He must be a nice guy,’ because I loved Tennessee. I loved all the guys. I cherished every aspect of Tennessee since Elvis was such a huge part of my life.
The cause of Wink Martindale’s passing
Wink remained active in the entertainment business far into his latter years. One of his final projects was hosting the nationally and internationally syndicated radio show The History of Rock ‘n’ Roll, a two-hour weekend show that focused on music from the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. At the time, Martindale was eighty-eight years old.
Unfortunately, Wink Martindale’s remarkable life ended on April 15, 2025. He passed away from cancer in a hospital in Rancho Mirage, California, at the age of 91. Martindale was accompanied by family, including his beloved wife Sandra, after spending an incredible 74 years in Hollywood.
His daughters Lisa, Lyn, and Laura, his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, his “honorary” son Eric, and his cherished Chihuahua, Dude, are all still alive.
In addition to the games he hosted, Wink Martindale’s legacy as a game show host is evaluated by the happiness he brought into so many families and the memories he cultivated.
You felt like you were a part of the show, not just the presenter, because he was a buddy and a constant presence. Even if the shows are no longer in production, we will always value Wink’s contribution to television history. Peace be with you!
