Legendary Game Show Host, Lifelong Friend of Elvis Dead at 91

Wink Martindale, the host of a number of iconic gameshows and a lifelong friend of Elvis Presley, has died at 91. TMZ reported the news, citing his publicist. 

Martindale passed away after battling lymphoma for the past year, his publicist said. He was reportedly surrounded by family, including his wife, Sandra Martindale, in the California city of Rancho Mirage. 

Martindale was a Tennessee native, and cut his teeth in Memphis radio. In 1954, he became the first to play "That's All Right," the debut single by a then-local artist named Elvis Presley. He even conducted what was reportedly the King's first radio interview, and became close friends with him until Presley's death. His wife was even one of Elvis' former girlfriends.

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“Elvis is responsible for me marrying Wink,” Sandra said in a 2015 interview. “When [Martindale] said he was from Tennessee, I said, ‘He must be a nice guy,’ because I loved the state, I loved all the guys, I loved everything in the state of Tennessee because Elvis was such a wonderful part of my life.”

In the late 1960s he moved to Hollywood, where he found breakout fame hosting Tic-Tac-Dough. He would also host shows like High Rollers, Debt, Headline Chasers, Trivial Pursuit, What's This Song?, The Last Word, and The Great Getaway Game. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2006. 

In fact, a revival of Tic-Tac-Dough was announced just yesterday, set to air on the Game Show Network hosted by Brooke Burns.

Martindale is survived by three daughters, numerous grandchildren, and his wife, Sandra.