Television's Most Recognized Game Show Host Dies At Rancho Mirage Home

RANCHO MIRAGE, CA — Wink Martindale, one of the most well-known television game show hosts of his generation, died Tuesday at his Rancho Mirage home. He was 91.

According to a statement from his family, Martindale died "surrounded by his family and his beloved wife of 49 years, Sandra Martindale." No cause of death was given.

Martindale helmed more than 20 television game shows over five decades, including "Tic-Tac-Dough," "High Rollers" and "Trivial Pursuit."

Born Winston Conrad Martindale in Tennessee in 1933, Martindale started working as a disc jockey in Jackson, Tennessee, at age 17, then moved on to WHBQ in Memphis. He made some rock n' roll history by helping to arrange for Elvis Presley to visit the station and give his first-ever radio interview after it played the singer's debut record "That's All Right" in 1954.

Martindale moved to Los Angeles in 1959, working at KHJ radio, then taking over the morning show at KRLA and eventually KFWB radio. He also had stints at stations including KGIL, KKGO, KMPC, KABC and KJQI.

He made his first foray into television while still in Memphis, leading the children's show "Mars Patrol" and later "Teenage Dance Party," on which Presley also appeared in 1956.

But he scored his first major gig by hosting NBC's "What's This Song?" in 1964. That led to more than 20 other hosting gigs, including shows such as "Words and Music," "Gambit," "The Last Word," "Instant Recall" and, most notably, "Tic-Tac-Dough," which he hosted for about a decade, ending in 1985.

After leaving that program, he helped create and produce the game show "Headline Chasers" in association with Merv Griffin, although the show was short-lived.

He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2006, and flowers were being placed on the star Tuesday evening in his memory.

In addition to his wife Sandra, Martindale is survived by a sister, Geraldine, daughters Lisa, Lyn and Laura, along with numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren.