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Wink Martindale (1933-2025)

Fighting Irish said:
deadline.com

Wink Martindale Dies: Game Show Host Of ‘Tic-Tac-Dough’, ‘Gambit’ And ‘High Rollers’ Was 91

Wink Martindale, one of TV's most beloved game show hosts whose name became virtually synonymous with the profession, died April 15, 2025 at age 91.
deadline.com deadline.com
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I remember that Wink was on KRLA, KFWB, KGIL, and KMPC throughout my youth. Probably more that I do not remember. He had a tv dance party show from Pacific Ocean Park in Santa Monica. He started out at WHBQ in Memphis, where he knew Elvis. Wink was bright, funny, and cheerful. Very sincere personality, very smooth delivery. Good singer also. I always admired his talent.
 
Should Game Show Network do Wink's marathon with only Tic-Tac-Dough in any episodes between 1978-1985 very importantly for now because that's my favorite Tic-Tac-Toe with X's and O's of all-time.(y)
 
Wink was uploading game show rarities on his YT channel all the way to the end of his life. Another WONDERFUL television presence that will be missed. Tic Tac Dough is a classic game show, and Thom McKee's run on the show to hundreds of thousands of dollars put him in the record books for several years.
I have a High Rollers episode on VHS from his 1987 run as well.

RIP Wink and say hi to your colleagues for us while you're up there. Enjoy Heaven :cry:

BTW who are we down to now in terms of classic game show hosts? I can only count 3: Pat Sajak, Bob Eubanks, and Marc Summers (if you count children's game shows)... We've lost 4 in the past couple of years (Barker, Woolery, Marshall and now Martindale).
 
crainbebo said:
and Thom McKee's run on the show to hundreds of thousands of dollars put him in the record books for several years.
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Speaking of McKee, I wonder how McKee felt when/if he found out about the passing of Martindale (being that he and Martindale became solid friends during his run on TTD, and even afterwards remained friends).
 
According to TJ from Sitcoms Online that Game Show Network will honor Wink's with a four-hour marathon of Tic-Tac-Dough tomorrow Sunday 4/20/25 from 2-6pm. So good luck and wish a good late honor of Wink. (y)
 
I waited a while before posting here, because I wanted to give some thought to what I write.

Wink Martindale was a friend and colleague. We had known each other for many years. The very first time I met him -- at a promotion when Ford reintroduced the Thunderbird in the mid-1980s -- he was the exact same friendly gentleman that you saw on television hosting all those game shows. I had taken the opportunity to approach him at lunch during that promotion to tell him what "takeaways" I had gotten from listening to him over the years and his reply was genuine appreciation for my coming over to tell him. No overinflated ego present at all.

Many years later, when I joined Pacific Pioneer Broadcasters here in L.A., at my first luncheon there was Wink (and his equally delightful wife Sandy). I approached him and said "Wink, you probably don't remember, but ..." and he interrupted me with "1987, Riverside International Raceway, Ford Thunderbird promotion". He was always that way. He enjoyed the company of people in the business, regardless of what their status was. And Sandy would often spot me at luncheons and come over to say hello before Wink had the chance!

He was a very talented man, but also one with a kind heart and an extremely pleasant personality. I am thankful that I knew him and I hope Sandy's grief will quickly fade to good memories.

RIP, Winston Conrad Martindale.
 
KM - I wonder if you met him as he was filming High Rollers? The revival would have been during the 1987-88 television season, but was cancelled at the end of the season. I have an episode on a VHS that is already on the trading circuit.
 
crainbebo said:
KM - I wonder if you met him as he was filming High Rollers? The revival would have been during the 1987-88 television season, but was cancelled at the end of the season. I have an episode on a VHS that is already on the trading circuit.
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I couldn't say for sure. He was still at KMPC at the time of the promotion (hence everyone there being from Southern California radio) but he did host a lot of game shows while still doing his noon-3:00pm gig at 710.

Wink is in second place in the count of hosting the most different game shows in television history (15), second only to the late Bill Cullen, who hosted 23 in his lifetime. I asked Wink about that once, and with his usual humility, he said "It's an honor to be second to Bill, because he was a really nice guy."
 


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