Wink Martindale

Game Show Host
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The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

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About
About this interview

In his three-and-a-half-hour interview, Wink Martindale (1933-2025) talks about his early years and being a DJ in Memphis, TN, where he was the first DJ to play a record by Elvis Presley. He describes hosting several local Memphis television shows like Mars Patrol and Top Ten, as well as making the move to Los Angeles and hosting P.O.P. Dance Party on KTLA. He details his first national game shows including Dream Girl of ’67, How’s Your Mother-in-Law?, and Las Vegas Gambit. Martindale describes in detail hosting the hit game show Tic Tac Dough, and discusses the popularity of the show and the show’s record breaking, long-running contestant Thom McKee. He recalls hosting various other game shows including High Rollers, Trivial Pursuit, and Debt. He concludes by summing up his long career, and offering advice to aspiring game show hosts. John Dalton conducted the interview on April 11, 2017 in North Hollywood, CA.    

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"A good host is a person who loves people. If you’re a people person, you’re naturally going to be attracted to contestants and it's easy for you to be able to interact with those people."

People Talking About ...
Wink Martindale
Highlights
Wink Martindale on becoming the host of Tic Tac Dough, and on the early broadcast history of the show
03:37
Wink Martindale on how he got the name "Wink"
00:44
Wink Martindale on meeting Elvis Presley, and his friendship with Elvis
04:19
Wink Martindale on hosting Las Vegas Gambit, and on appearing on The Hollywood Squares
06:16
Wink Martindale on retiring from hosting, and on acting on The Bold and the Beautiful
03:02
Wink Martindale on record breaking Tic Tac Dough contestant Thom McKee
02:09
Full Interview

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Chapter 1
On how he got the name "Wink"; on his early life and influences; on getting into radio at a station owned by Gene Autry
On hosting the radio show "Clockwatchers" on WHBQ out of Memphis, Tennessee; on meeting Elvis Presley, and his friendship with Elvis; on the first time he saw television, and early shows he watched
On hosting a children's show, Mars Patrol, on a local Memphis television station; on hosting his local dance show Top Ten out of Memphis, and on doing Elvis Presley's first filmed interview; on Dick Clark
On singing in the movie "Let's Rock"; on his hit song "Deck of Cards," and on performing it on The Ed Sullivan Show; on hosting P.O.P. Dance Party on KTLA
On appearing on both television and radio on a daily basis in the 1950s; on what makes a good game show host, and on game show hosts he admires like Bill Cullen; on announcing for Everybody's Talking, and on hosting Dream Girl of '67, and How's Your Mother-in-Law?

Chapter 2
On hosting Can You Top This produced by Morey Amsterdam; on hosting Las Vegas Gambit, and on appearing on The Hollywood Squares; on becoming a game show host
On becoming the host of Tic Tac Dough, and on the early broadcast history of the show; on various aspects of hosting Tic Tack Dough, and on long running contestant Thom McKee
On creating and hosting Headline Chasers; on hosting High Rollers; on executive producing game shows, and on his production company
On hosting Trivial Pursuit; on the advent of Game Show Network; on hosting Debt
On hosting Second Honeymoon and Bumper Stumpers; on retiring from hosting, and on acting on The Bold and the Beautiful

Chapter 3
On being a contestant on Tattletales, and on his later friendship with Elvis Presley; on being a celebrity contestant on Password and The Hollywood Squares; on the craft of game show hosting
On Tic Tac Dough being his favorite show, and on his enjoyment of hosting Gambit; on how game shows have changed since he started, and on the future of game shows; on mentors in his career
On his wife, Sandy Martindale, and on his longevity; on career regrets and how he'd like to be remembered
Shows

Bold and the Beautiful, The

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Wink Martindale on retiring from hosting, and on acting on The Bold and the Beautiful
03:02

Bumper Stumpers

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Wink Martindale on hosting Second Honeymoon and Bumper Stumpers
03:19

Can You Top This

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Wink Martindale on hosting Can You Top This produced by Morey Amsterdam
02:59

Debt

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Wink Martindale on hosting Debt
04:48

Dream Girl of '67

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Wink Martindale on hosting the Chuck Barris produced Dream Girl of '67
01:46

Ed Sullivan Show, The aka Toast of the Town

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Wink Martindale on his hit song "Deck of Cards," and on performing it on The Ed Sullivan Show
08:01

Everybody's Talking

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Wink Martindale on announcing for Everybody's Talking, produced by Jack Barry
02:41

Headline Chasers

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Wink Martindale on leaving Tac Tac Dough for Headline Chasers
01:41
Wink Martindale on creating and hosting Headline Chasers
03:16
Wink Martindale on working with Merv Griffin on Headline Chasers
01:26

High Rollers

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Wink Martindale on hosting High Rollers
02:12

Hollywood Squares, The

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Wink Martindale on appearing on The Hollywood Squares
00:50
Wink Martindale on appearing on The Hollywood Squares "Game Show Host Week"
01:24

How's Your Mother In Law?

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Wink Martindale on hosting How's Your Mother-in-Law?
03:22

Las Vegas Gambit

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Wink Martindale on hosting Las Vegas Gambit, and on appearing on The Hollywood Squares
06:16
Wink Martindale on Tic Tac Dough being his favorite show, and on his enjoyment of hosting Las Vegas Gambit
02:18

Password

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Wink Martindale on being a celebrity contestant on Password
00:50

Second Honeymoon

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Wink Martindale on hosting Second Honeymoon and Bumper Stumpers
03:19

Tattletales

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Wink Martindale on being a contestant on Tattletales, and on his later friendship with Elvis Presley
03:55

Tic Tac Dough

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Wink Martindale on becoming the host of Tic Tac Dough, and on the early broadcast history of the show
03:37
Wink Martindale on Tac Tac Dough producer Dan Enright
01:22
Wink Martindale on record breaking Tic Tac Dough contestant Thom McKee
02:09
Wink Martindale on how Tic Tac Dough was played, and on the popularity of the show
02:14
Wink Martindale on how record breaking Tic Tac Dough contestant Thom McKee impacted the show
02:49
Wink Martindale on Tac Tac Dough's over-80s tournament
03:34
Wink Martindale on leaving Tac Tac Dough for Headline Chasers
01:41
Wink Martindale on Tic Tac Dough being his favorite show, and on his enjoyment of hosting Las Vegas Gambit
02:18

Trivial Pursuit

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Wink Martindale on hosting Trivial Pursuit
04:32

Zoom

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Wink Martindale on his first game show Zoom, and on hosting What's This Song?
04:50
Topics

Creative Influences and Inspiration

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Wink Martindale on mentors in his career
01:40

Industry Crossroads

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Wink Martindale on producers Jack Barry and Dan Enright and the Quiz Show Scandals
03:03

Network Creation

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Wink Martindale on the advent of Game Show Network
02:20

Pivotal Career Moments

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Wink Martindale on mentors in his career
01:40

Quiz Show Scandals

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Wink Martindale on producers Jack Barry and Dan Enright and the Quiz Show Scandals
03:03

Television Industry

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Wink Martindale on producers Jack Barry and Dan Enright and the Quiz Show Scandals
03:03
Wink Martindale on the advent of Game Show Network
02:20
Wink Martindale on how game shows have changed since he started, and on the then-future of game shows
02:26
Professions

Game Show Host

View Profession
Wink Martindale on what makes a good game show host, and on game show hosts he admires like Bill Cullen
02:35
Wink Martindale on executive producing game shows, and on his production company
02:19
Wink Martindale on the craft of game show hosting
04:58
Wink Martindale on his advice to an aspiring game show host
01:43

Hosts

View Profession
Wink Martindale on what makes a good game show host, and on game show hosts he admires like Bill Cullen
02:35
Wink Martindale on executive producing game shows, and on his production company
02:19
Wink Martindale on the craft of game show hosting
04:58
Wink Martindale on his advice to an aspiring game show host
01:43
Genres

Daytime/Primetime Serials

View Genre
Wink Martindale on retiring from hosting, and on acting on The Bold and the Beautiful
03:02

Game Shows

View Genre
Wink Martindale on what makes a good game show host, and on game show hosts he admires like Bill Cullen
02:35
Wink Martindale on hosting Dream Girl of '67 and How's Your Mother-in-Law?
05:08
Wink Martindale on becoming a game show host
01:24
Wink Martindale on hosting Can You Top This produced by Morey Amsterdam
02:59
Wink Martindale on hosting Las Vegas Gambit, and on appearing on The Hollywood Squares
06:16
Wink Martindale on hosting Tic Tac Dough
20:31
Wink Martindale on creating and hosting Headline Chasers
04:42
Wink Martindale on hosting High Rollers
02:12
Wink Martindale on hosting Trivial Pursuit
04:32
Wink Martindale on hosting Second Honeymoon and Bumper Stumpers
03:19
Wink Martindale on being a contestant on Tattletales, and on his later friendship with Elvis Presley
03:55
Wink Martindale on being a celebrity contestant on Password
00:50
Wink Martindale on Tic Tac Dough being his favorite show, and on his enjoyment of hosting Las Vegas Gambit
02:48

Music Shows & Variety Shows/Specials

View Genre
Wink Martindale on his hit song "Deck of Cards," and on performing it on The Ed Sullivan Show
08:01
People

Bill Cullen

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Wink Martindale on what makes a good game show host, and on game show hosts he admires like Bill Cullen
02:35

Dan Enright

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Wink Martindale on producers Jack Barry and Dan Enright and the Quiz Show Scandals
03:03

Dick Clark

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Wink Martindale on Dick Clark
00:55

Elvis Presley

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Wink Martindale on meeting Elvis Presley, and his friendship with Elvis
04:19
Wink Martindale on being a contestant on Tattletales, and on his later friendship with Elvis Presley
03:57

Jack Barry

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Wink Martindale on producers Jack Barry and Dan Enright and the Quiz Show Scandals
03:03

Merv Griffin

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Wink Martindale on working with Merv Griffin on Headline Chasers
01:26

Morey Amsterdam

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Wink Martindale on hosting Can You Top This? produced by Morey Amsterdam
02:59

All Interviews

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