Wink Martindale: A Biography of the Legendary Recreation Present Host (1933–2025)
April 16, 2025
Rancho Mirage, CA – Winston Conrad “Wink” Martindale, the charismatic host of iconic sport exhibits like Tic-Tac-Dough, Gambit, and Excessive Rollers, died on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, at Eisenhower Well being in Rancho Mirage, California, on the age of 91. His publicist, Brian Mayes, confirmed he had been battling lymphoma for a 12 months, along with his situation worsening within the weeks prior. Surrounded by household and his spouse of 49 years, Sandra Martindale, Wink’s 74-year profession in radio, tv, and music left an indelible mark on American leisure. From his early days as a Tennessee disc jockey to his friendship with Elvis Presley and his prolific sport present legacy, Martindale’s life was a testomony to expertise, appeal, and resilience. This biography traces his journey, drawing from stories by NBC Information, The New York Instances, The Hollywood Reporter, and his 2000 memoir, Winking at Life.
Early Life and the Origin of “Wink”
Born on December 4, 1933, in Jackson, Tennessee, Winston Conrad Martindale was captivated by radio from childhood, studying Life journal advertisements aloud at age 6. His nickname “Wink” got here from a childhood buddy, Jimmy McCord, who, resulting from a speech obstacle, pronounced “Winston” as “Winky.” The moniker caught, changing into a defining characteristic of his public persona. “It served me effectively,” Martindale instructed ABC Information in 2014, noting its distinctive attraction in present enterprise.
Martindale’s profession started at 17 as a disc jockey at WPLI in Jackson, incomes $25 per week. He later moved to WTJS after which WDXI, doubling his wage. Whereas attending Memphis State College (now College of Memphis), he hosted mornings at WHBQ in Memphis, graduating with a bachelor’s diploma in 1957. By then, he was married to his first spouse, Madelyn Leech, and a father to 2 daughters. A member of Kappa Sigma fraternity, Martindale’s youth blended small-town roots with large ambitions.
A Brush with Rock ‘n’ Roll Historical past
In 1954, whereas at WHBQ, Martindale performed a pivotal function in rock ‘n’ roll historical past. When fellow DJ Dewey Phillips debuted Elvis Presley’s “That’s All Proper,” Martindale known as Presley’s mom to rearrange an interview, marking one in every of Elvis’s first on-air appearances. “He was so nervous he’d gone to the theater,” Martindale recalled in a 2018 Tv Academy Basis interview. Their friendship endured till Presley’s dying in 1977, with Martindale internet hosting Elvis on his Teenage Dance Celebration TV present in 1956. His second spouse, Sandy, briefly dated Presley, later crediting him for his or her 1975 marriage: “When [Wink] mentioned he was from Tennessee, I mentioned, ‘He should be a pleasant man.’” Martindale’s 1959 trans-Atlantic interview with Presley, then within the Military, additional cemented their bond.
Martindale himself discovered musical success with a 1959 spoken-word single, “Deck of Playing cards,” on Dot Data, which hit No. 7 on the Billboard Sizzling 100 and bought over 1 million copies, incomes a gold report. This achievement, alongside artists like Pat Boone, showcased his versatility.
Rise to Tv Stardom
Martindale’s tv profession started in Memphis with Wink Martindale of the Mars Patrol (1953), a kids’s sci-fi present that includes Flash Gordon serials, and High 10 Dance Celebration, an area rival to American Bandstand. After transferring to Los Angeles in 1959, he labored as a morning DJ at KHJ, KRLA, and KFWB, constructing a radio following. His sport present breakthrough got here in 1964 with NBC’s What’s This Tune?, the place contestants recognized tunes for money. Although short-lived, it launched a prolific profession internet hosting or producing over 20 sport exhibits.
Martindale’s largest successes had been Gambit (1972–76, revived 1980–81) and Tic-Tac-Dough (1978–85). Gambit, a blackjack-inspired sport, debuted alongside The Worth Is Proper and The Joker’s Wild in 1972. “It taught me a fundamental tenet of any really profitable sport present: KISS! Maintain It Easy Silly,” he wrote in Winking at Life. Tic-Tac-Dough, combining trivia and tic-tac-toe, grew to become a cultural staple, with Martindale’s dapper fashion and resonant voice incomes him a faithful viewers. He beat out Dick Clark for the Gambit function, a profession spotlight he shared with the Tv Academy Basis.
Different notable exhibits included Excessive Rollers (1987–88), Debt (1996–98), and Prompt Recall (2010). Debt stood out, with contestants vying to repay actual payments, reflecting Martindale’s knack for modern codecs. “I like individuals, and also you get to fulfill so many various individuals on this planet of sport exhibits,” he instructed the Tv Academy Basis, explaining his love for internet hosting. His manufacturing firm, Wink Martindale Enterprises, created exhibits like Headline Chasers (1985) and Bumper Stumpers (1987–90), although some, like Headline Chasers, had been canceled after one season.
Later Profession and Cultural Influence
Martindale remained lively into his later years, internet hosting radio applications like The 100 Biggest Christmas Hits of All Time (2012) and The Historical past of Rock ‘n’ Roll (2021). He appeared in commercials for Orbitz and KFC (reverse Rob Lowe in 2017) and guest-starred on The Daring and the Stunning (2016) and The Eric Andre Present. His YouTube channel, Wink’s Vault, launched in 2014, shared sport present episodes and uncommon clips, along with his last add—a Debt episode—posted hours earlier than his dying.
His contributions earned a star on the Hollywood Stroll of Fame in 2006, a Beale Avenue Notice in Memphis in 2024, and induction into the American TV Recreation Present Corridor of Fame in 2007. Martindale’s charitable work included internet hosting cerebral palsy and St. Jude Youngsters’s Hospital telethons, reflecting his dedication to group. The Washington Publish known as him a “beloved fixture,” whereas the Recreation Present Community mourned him as a “true legend” whose “appeal and presence lit up the display screen.”
Private Life and Legacy
Martindale’s first marriage to Madelyn Leech led to divorce in 1972, producing 4 kids: Lisa, Lyn, Laura, and Wink Jr., the latter predeceasing him. He married Sandy Ferra in 1975, and so they remained collectively for 49 years. He’s survived by Sandy, daughters Lisa, Lyn, and Laura, sister Geraldine, quite a few grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and “honorary son” Eric. His household famous his heat and generosity, traits echoed by followers on X, with @MrSaratoga calling him a “class act” whose Tic-Tac-Dough formed their childhood.
Martindale’s dying, coincidentally the day after a Tic-Tac-Dough revival premiered on Recreation Present Community, underscored his enduring affect. His philosophy of simplicity in sport exhibits—rooted in common, accessible codecs—resonated throughout generations. “The individuals at house don’t care what your issues are,” he instructed Bleeding Cool. “You’re alleged to do one of the best you are able to do.”
Crucial Perspective
The institution narrative lionizes Martindale as a sport present titan, however his profession additionally displays the transient nature of tv. A lot of his exhibits, like What’s This Tune? and Headline Chasers, struggled to maintain audiences, highlighting the business’s volatility. His success with Tic-Tac-Dough and Gambit capitalized on America’s love for acquainted video games, but the dearth of range in sport present codecs throughout his period raises questions on innovation. Nonetheless, Martindale’s skill to attach with viewers—by his voice, smile, and real curiosity about contestants—set an ordinary for hosts. His Elvis connection, whereas iconic, dangers overshadowing his personal achievements, a pressure he navigated with humility.
Conclusion
Wink Martindale’s 74-year profession, from a Tennessee radio sales space to Hollywood’s Stroll of Fame, embodied the American dream. His sport exhibits introduced pleasure to tens of millions, his friendship with Elvis added cultural heft, and his resilience in a cutthroat business impressed friends. As CNN famous, his “booming voice” and “debonair” presence outlined an period. Martindale’s legacy endures within the laughter of contestants, the nostalgia of followers, and the simplicity of a well-played sport. For extra, learn his memoir, Winking at Life, or go to www.hollywoodwalkoffame.com.
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