Fox News Digital confirmed that legendary game show host Wink Martindale has passed away. He was 91 years old.
Surrounded by his family, including his wife Sandra, Martindale had a 74-year career in Hollywood at the time of his death, hosting numerous game shows such as “Tic-Tac-Dough,” “High Rollers,” and “Gambit.” Martindale was also a close friend of Elvis Presley.
In 2019, Martindale told Fox News Digital that he “met Elvis Presley on a hot July night in 1954.” In 1956, Martindale was hosting the “Teenage Dance Party” when Presley appeared.
Gameshow host Wink Martindale has passed away. He was 91 years old. (Amanda Edwards/Getty Images)
What surprised him most about Presley was that Presley was the giftee.
Priscilla Presley knew something was “not right” before Lisa Marie passed away: “I don’t want this from any mother.”
“Leah, few people knew they had given literally millions of dollars to charities around the world, not just in this country,” Martindale said.
“He was a great gifter. If he was your friend, he was your friend until the day you died. That means he was always your friend and you would do anything for you that he needed to do. He was that kind of person.”
Surrounded by his family, including his wife Sandra, Martindale spent a 74-year career in Hollywood at the time of his death, hosting numerous game shows. (ABC Photo Archives/Getty Images via Disney General Entertainment Content)
Sandra, the wife of 49-year-old Martindale, dated Presley on and off in 1967 just before marrying Priscilla.
Sandra, who married Wink in 1975, praised Presley for her marriage to a game show host.
“Elvis is responsible for marrying Wink,” she said in a 2015 interview. Hollywood Reporter.
Wink Martindale Host: “How about your stepmother?” (ABC Photo Archives/Getty Images via Disney General Entertainment Content)
“when [Martindale] He said he was from Tennessee, I said, “He has to be a nice guy.” I loved everyone. I loved everything about Tennessee because Elvis was a great part of my life. ”
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Martindale spoke in 2014 ABC News About the meaning behind his interesting name.
Wink Martindale passed away on Tuesday, April 15th in Rancho Mirage, California. (Patrick McMullan/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)
“When I was a kid in Jackson, Tennessee, one of my playmates, Jimmy McCord, couldn’t be called my name, Winston. He had a speech obstacle and sounded like “winkey.” So Winston became Winky, then I went into business and it helped me,” he said.
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Martindale also hosted “The Last Word,” “The Great Getaway Game,” “Right Tracking,” “Debt,” and “Instant Recall.”
Martindale was survived by his daughters Lisa, Lynn and Laura, his grandson and great grandson, his “honor” son Eric and his Chihuahua man.
