Game show host Wink Martindale dies at 91

Wink Martindale, a renowned radio personality, transitioned to television stardom as host of game shows like Gambit and Tic-Tac-Dough in the 1970s and '80s and Debt in the '90s.

According to Nashville Publicity Group, he passed away on April 15 at his California home in Rancho Mirage, surrounded by loved ones. Martindale was 91.

Wink was a game show legend and worked on over 20 shows. His first show, What's This Song, debuted in 1964 but it did not last long.

In 2006, Martindale was honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and became a founding member of the American TV Game Show Hall of Fame in 2007.

During a conversation with the Television Academy Foundation, he revealed the reason behind his love for hosting.

“I like people, and you get to meet so many different people in the world of game shows. I enjoy finding out what makes people tick," Martindale said. "As you play a game, you see why one person is more successful than another. But I just love working with people, and I love talking. I could sit here and talk all day.”

Martindale's loved ones include his wife Sandra, sister Geraldine, daughters Lisa, Lyn, and Laura, a big family with great-grandkids, plus Eric, who is like a son to him, and his dear Chihuahua, Dude.

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