Wink Martindale Net Worth

Wink Martindale Net Worth is
$20 Million

Wink Martindale Bio/Wiki, Net Worth, Married 2018

Winston Conrad "Wink" Martindale is an American disc jockey and television game show host. In his six decade career, he is best known for hosting Tic Tac Dough from 1978 to 1985, for hosting Gambit from ...

Full NameWink Martindale
Net Worth$20 Million
Date Of BirthDecember 4, 1934
Place Of BirthJackson, Tennessee, United States
ProfessionGame Show Host, Presenter
EducationUniversity of Memphis
NationalityUnited States of America
SpouseSandy Ferra (m. 1975), Madelyn Leech (m. 1954)
ChildrenLaura Martindale, Lisa Martindale, Lynn Martindale, Wink Martindale Jr., Deck of Cards, All Love Broke Loose, Now You Know How It Feels
NicknamesWinston Conrad Martindale , Martindale, Wink
MoviesElvis
TV ShowsTic-Tac-Dough, High Rollers, Gambit, Headline Chasers, Debt, Instant Recall, Boggle, What's This Song?, Bumper Stumpers, Everybody's Talking, Great Getaway Game, The New Tic Tac Dough, How's Your Mother-in-Law?, Jumble, Shuffle, Trivial Pursuit, Words and Music (US)
Star SignSagittarius
#Trademark
1On Debt (1996), he frequently wore tuxedos
2Thick Southern accent.
3Frequently tells stories of his relationship with Elvis Presley.
4His classy demeanor.
#Quote
1Honey, puhleeez, I can't tell you how much I owe in credit cards.
2Everybody relates to debt. Well, we all have debt.
3I can't speak for Pat (Finn), but I can tell you, if he's like me, I did enjoy meeting all of the couples and contestants on all of my shows. Most emcees do.
4The industry has changed and now they want comedians doing this job. God bless them, Drew Carey, Steve Harvey, Wayne Brady, even Jane Lynch have done wonderful work, but the occupation of a game show host has become obsolete. Pat (Sajak) and Alex (Trebek) are the last of a dying breed. A guy like Bill Cullen, heck even myself, would struggle to even be considered these days.
5Subtly is gone. Richard (Dawson) and Gene (Rayburn), for example, could take a regular occurrence and make a hilarious situation out of it. Bob Barker and Bob Eubanks did this regularly on their shows. A show like Family Feud, which Steve Harvey has done a tremendous job of hosting, now writes the questions in such a way that it forces the contestants to answer provocatively. It doesn't feel as creative and kind of cheapens what could be more authentic reactions with regular questions.
6[About the hobbies he enjoys during his spare time]: I tried golf several years ago. But being a left-hander I quickly determined golf wasn't for me. I took up tennis and to this day it is my favorite sport, and pastime.
7[About getting a job, when he was 17]: I used to bug the hell out of him to give me a job.
8[When asked if he's planning on retiring]: Retire from what? Having fun? I've never had more fun in my life.
9[Who talked about how a game show must last]: That guy's up there, that gal's up there winning all that money and those cars and those prizes, I could do the same thing. That is the real important guide to a successful game show.
10[Who talked about commuting from Calabasas to Las Vegas doing Las Vegas Gambit (1972)]: We taped 10 shows in 2 days every other week. All of us involved in producing the show flew from LA to Las Vegas. When the last shows were done we'd fly home to LA. A fun experience taping a show in Las Vegas.
11[If background puzzles were an asset to the game show strategy]: A background in puzzles is certainly not a requirement for a contestant. The main requirement is the player's desire to win and compete. He or she should know the rules of game play "backwards and forwards" before attempting to play the game on TV. Naturally if the show is Q & A it helps to be above average at all subjects of trivia.
12[Of Pat Finn] Not only I have heard of him, he's been a good friend of mine, and I've known him for years, he's a terrific producer. He has produced some good shows and has hosted some good shows.
13The biggest thing to remember in game show hosting is you've got to have fun. For most people this is their one and only time ever on television, so you want to make it as memorable as possible. The best hosts take the spotlight off themselves and shine it on the contestants, making them the stars of the show.
14For a while, when people thought of The Price is Right, they thought of Bill Cullen. However, Bob Barker became such an icon through that show that nobody, nobody could ever come close to taking his place. The Price is Right is Bob Barker and Bob Barker is The Price is Right. When you think of game show hosts, he's the first one that'll pop into your head. He's a legend and made that show a television institution.
15Gene (Rayburn) was a great friend and helped me realize that in order to make it in this business you've got to be yourself, warts and all. He let it all hang out on Match Game and that was a big reason for the show's success.
16[Of Bill Cullen]: I was fortunate to have the pleasure of sharing a dressing room with Bill Cullen, when the two of us were doing shows for [Barry & Enright Productions]. I was doing Tic-Tac-Dough' and he was filling in for Jack Barry on 'Joker's Wild.' We got to talk between breaks of shows. It's really one of the most memorable periods of my game show hosting life. Sadly, one of the things I remember most is that he smoked about three packs of unfiltered Camel cigarettes a day. That's what took his life.
17[When he had a #1 song]: That's something that can never be duplicated; it was just unbelievable to me that I was on the show, I was just so nervous. Like everyone else, I'd sit in Memphis and watch 'The Ed Sullivan Show.' When I got the call to [perform 'Deck Of Cards'] on Ed's show, it was like an out-of-body experience.
18[About his mother who wanted him to be a preacher]: She felt that way, because God gave me such a wonderful voice. She thought that I should think seriously about going to seminary to become a preacher, but what she didn't understand was that preachers had to be called to the ministry. You just don't wake up one day and become a preacher.
19I always thought I'd want to have a restaurant.
20I had been a deejay since I was 17. My roots were in radio, but I thought it would be fun to try my hand hosting a television game. I'd become addicted to Allen Ludden's popular show, 'Password.' And after hosting a local version of 'What's This Song,' a musical show featuring celebrities, NBC added it to its daytime lineup.
21[on getting his first job after graduation from high school]: They gave me a job at $25 per week, and for that you were expected to do everything. You read commercials, the news - play-by-play high school football and basketball, and you played records. If the floor needed sweeping, you did that too.
#Fact
1Most of the Debt (1996)'s questions came from Martindale's experience in both radio and television.
2Attended the 90th Birthday of his longtime friend Peter Marshall in 2016.
3Bears a slight resemblance to Tom Kennedy, but are not brothers.
4On one episode of Debt (1996), Martindale's victorious contestant celebrated a $17,394 win by ripping off his toupee, throwing it on the floor, then dancing around the hairpiece.
5While attending college, he received several speeding tickets, trying to keep up his busy schedule, rushing between classes at the radio station.
6Had subbed for Tom Kennedy on 2 episodes of You Don't Say (1963).
7Unfortunately, despite crazily high ratings, his show, Debt (1996), got canceled for the reason that more males were watching the series than females on Lifetime Television.
8Since 2014, Martindale had started his own YouTube channel, called "Wink's Vault," featuring episodes of game shows, game show pilots, rare clips from various game shows, and more.
9Lifelong friends with Bob Barker, Gene Rayburn, Johnny Gilbert, Richard Dawson, Pat Boone and Jim Lange.
10His show The New Tic Tac Dough (1978) debuted just 1 month before Pope John Paul II succeeds Pope Paul VI as the 263rd Pope.
11His show Debt (1996) debuted just 1 month after the Everett Disaster in 1996.
12Received the prestigious Diamond Circle award from the beloved Pacific Pioneer Broadcasters. [27 March 2015].
13After Martindale had celebrated his 80th Birthday late in 2013, both of his best friends, Jim Lange and Geoff Edwards, died within a week of each other. The most coincidental thing is they both worked at both Barry-Enright Productions and Chuck Barris Productions.
14Started listening to radio, when he was almost 8, at the time, he was listening to soap operas daily on the radio, with his mother, after leaving elementary school.
15Was idolized by: Bob Goen, Pat Finn, Wayne Cox, Ron Pearson, Jimmy Pardo, Graham Elwood, Todd Newton, Guy Fieri and Marc Summers.
16Has hosted 'The Music of Your Life,' a radio show, where Martindale played music of 3 decades, from the 1940s to the 1970s.
17Had commuted all the way from his home in Los Angeles, every week, to Las Vegas to do a taping of Las Vegas Gambit (1972), for one year, in 1980.
18Before a handsome young man, Marc Summers would become a successful game show host, he used to work with Martindale, when he was a page for Las Vegas Gambit (1972).
19Before he would become a radio announcer, for real, he used to always rehearse in being a newscaster, when he was a little boy.
20Was a fan of The Ed Sullivan Show (1948), which was hosted by Ed Sullivan. He would later guest-star with Sullivan on the same show.
21At age 25, Martindale moved to Los Angeles, California, in 1959, to continue pursuing his career as a radio disc jockey and television personality.
22Martindale's long life has contributed to exercising, taking vitamins, and (of course) genetics.
23Had filled in for Fred Roggin on GSN Live while he was on vacation.
24Prior to hosting game shows, he also hosted the "Wink and Bill Show" with Bill Smith on KABC Radio.
25His father, James "Azzie" Martindale, died in 1969.
26Like fellow game show hosts Bill Cullen, Gene Rayburn, Geoff Edwards and Bob Barker, Martindale was known to be a very busy television personality.
27His brother, Edward Leo Martindale, died on March 11, 2003, at age 75.
28Has never retired from hosting game shows or hosting radio shows.
29Along with fellow game show host Bob Eubanks, Jim Lange, Ben Stein and Peter Marshall, Martindale was one of the hosts featured in the NBC special 'Most Outrageous Game Show Moments.'.
30His brother, Edward, spent 18 months at Fort Bragg NC in the 82nd Airborne Division.
31Uncle of Courtenay, Edward Jr., Michael and George (from Edward's marriage to Mary Hutcheson Martindale Cokey).
32The younger of four children.
33He along with Sandy Martindale appeared on Tattletales (1974), in time, after only 5 months of marriage.
34Had once said in an interview that a contestant was required to stay on The New Tic Tac Dough (1978), once; but they could stay on until a contestant has lost.
35Has been living in Calabasas, California, near Mailbu Canyon, since 1991, though the Martindales were lifelong residents of Malibu.
36Returned to hosting Instant Recall (2010), the first game show he has hosted, since the cancelation of Debt (1996), 12 years earlier, it was unsuccessful, unlike his many contemporary shows.
37Did a commercial for DiGiornio Pizza in the early 2000s.
38His birthplace, Jackson, Tennessee, is 88 miles, west of Memphis, Tennessee.
39Release of his autobiography, "Winking at Life," in 1996.
40His parents were Frances Geraldine Martindale, who was a housewife, and James "Azzie" Martindale, used to work for Life Magazine, who was also a lumber inspector.
41Attended the 80th birthday of lifelong friend, Pat Boone at the Beverly Hills Hilton, in Beverly Hills, California on 1 June 2014. Among the many attendees are: Larry King, Shirley Jones, Tom Dreesen, Rich Little, Louise DuArt and George Foreman.
42Met Pat Boone, when he was under contract with Dot Records in 1956.
43Hobbies: reading, listening to radio, traveling, praying, sailing, dining and (of course), playing games.
44Beat out Bob Eubanks for the hosting role of Las Vegas Gambit (1972).
45Mentor and friends of Ron Pearson, Kurt Engstrom, Marc Summers and Randy West.
46Was a huge fan of Password All-Stars (1961), that led him to become a game show host.
47Had a very close relationship with Jack Barry, while working on The New Tic Tac Dough (1978).
48His future wife Sandy Ferra was the ex-girlfriend of Martindale's old friend - Elvis Presley.
49GSN honored him as the 'Most Versatile Host', in 2007.
50Protégé of Bill Cullen and Allen Ludden.
51Met fellow game show hosts Bob Barker and Jim Lange, while working in the Chuck Barris Studios, in Los Angeles, California, prior to becoming a game show host in 1967. The other host in the same studio was Bob Eubanks.
52Is a Republican.
53Beat out Geoff Edwards for the hosting job of The New Tic Tac Dough (1978).
54An interview with him published in Globe magazine places him hosting a radio show from his home in Calabasas, California. [April 2005]
55Is a spokesperson of Dream Factory, an organization that makes dreams come true for critically and chronically ill children.
56Created the popular Canadian game show Bumper Stumpers (1987), whose dogs were named after them.
57Before Ron Pearson was a comedian, he used to work for Wink in his young career.
58Has a restaurant named after him.
59The only game show he didn't like was Dream Girl of '67 (1966).
60He was not Merrill Heatter's first choice as host of the revamped version of The New High Rollers (1974) in 1987. It was when fellow game show host Alex Trebek was under contract hosting the immensely-popular game show Jeopardy! (1984), he was unable to do it, hence, the job was given to Martindale.
61Had always wanted to be a disc jockey when he was age 17.
62Before he was a successful game show host, he was once a children's host.
63Was a spokesman for Orbitz Worldwide Travel, Inc.
64Attended the funeral of his childhood friend Elvis Presley when the singer died in 1977.
65Worked with game show announcer Johnny Gilbert on three game shows: Words and Music (1970), The New Tic Tac Dough (1978) and Headline Chasers (1985).
66Met fellow game show host, Geoff Edwards, when the two were working at KMPC Radio in Los Angeles, California, prior to becoming a successful game show host in 1975. Among the staff were Gary Owens, Dick Whittinghill, Robert W. Morgan and Sonny Melendrez.
67Best known by the public as the host of Las Vegas Gambit (1972), The New Tic Tac Dough (1978) and Debt (1996).
68As a singer, he began his career with Dot Records in 1956.
69Friends with: Shirley Jones, Florence Henderson, Betty White, Bob Barker, Bob Goen, Bob Eubanks, Alex Trebek, Richard Dawson, Chuck Barris, Bill Cullen, Gene Rayburn, Bill Rafferty, Fred Travalena, Geoff Edwards, Bert Convy, Jack Barry, Dick Clark, Casey Kasem, Pat Sajak, Pat Finn, Peter Marshall, Tom Kennedy, Monty Hall, Jim Perry, Jim Lange, Chuck Woolery, David Ruprecht, Roger Ebert, Regis Philbin, Joan Rivers, Robert Conrad, Larry Manetti, Michael Landon, Larry Hagman, Michele Lee, Marc Summers, Elaine Stewart, Art Fleming, Pat Boone, Barry White and his wife Glodean White and Elvis Presley.
70His wife is Italian.
71Before he was a successful game show host, he did a Nolan's Kitty Shop commercial, where he got paid $25 a week, in Jackson, Tennessee, when he was age 17.
72Father of Lisa, Lynn, Laura, Wink Jr. from his first marriage.
73At Jackson's North Side High School, he played football and basketball for his team.
74Graduated from North Side High School in Jackson, Tennessee, in 1951.
75An avid game show watcher, he became a game show host with the help of his idol Bill Cullen.
76Spent a month in Israel and visited the Dead Sea with his wife, Sandy Martindale.
77Is a member of the nominating committee of the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.
78Second-only to The New Tic Tac Dough (1978), his other favorite game show was Debt (1996).
79Had three biggest winners in his 7 years of hosting The New Tic Tac Dough (1978): one was Thom McKee, a Navy Lieutenant, who has won $312,700, and ranked as the #1 contestant, a couple of years later was Wilbur Hicks, a coach, who has won $159,600, and was ranked as the #2 best contestant, and Kit Salisbury, a future Jeopardy! (1984) contestant and future salesman, who has won $199,150, and had finished in second place.
80At one point, his mother had suggested that he be a preacher, because she felt her son had a calling to the ministry, at a very young age.
81Executive Producer of Wink Martindale Enterprises from 1985 to 1993.
82Was one of Jack Barry's and Dan Enright's candidates to host The New Tic Tac Dough (1978), he got the job.
83Before he was a successful game show host, he was once a soda jerk at a drugstore.
84Left his role as host of The New Tic Tac Dough (1978), at the end of the seventh season, to still host and produce his own game shows. That same year, he hosted Headline Chasers (1985), which he hosted and created.
85When Tic Tac Dough (1990) was revived for a third time in 1990, he understood Patrick Wayne, who watched tapes of Martindale's episodes for weeks before he succeeded him as the host.
86Had a long-standing friendly feud with Chuck Woolery and Gene Rayburn. Upon Rayburn's death late in 1999, he admitted that both Rayburn and Woolery were responsible for his potty-humored nicknamed of "Stink Fartindale," and would always fondly remember their times together.
87Former The New Tic Tac Dough (1978) producer, Dan Enright asked him to host the pilot of a show that didn't sell, after Headline Chasers (1985) ended.
88Is a big fan of Tony Bennett's music. In fact, when he was standing in front of a 17-year-old Martindale, after the teenager played the music with Bennett's records, Bennett met him and greeted him with a smile.
89Has the distinction of hosting two longest-running game shows in television history for almost 35 years, 1 in front of Alex Trebek, the other behind Bob Barker: Las Vegas Gambit (1972) for 5 seasons on CBS daytime, and The New Tic Tac Dough (1978), for 7 of 8 seasons on syndication.
90Is a huge talk radio fan.
91He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7018 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.
92Had a hit record in the 1950s with the spoken-word country song, "Deck of Cards".
93Received the 2,313th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame [June 2, 2006].
94Nicknamed "Wink" by a neighborhood buddy. Launched his career in radio as a teenage disc jockey for his Sunday school teacher's radio station in Jackson, Tennessee.
95Awarded a Bachelor of Science degree from Memphis State College (Memphis, Tennessee) in 1957.
96Was a childhood friend of Elvis Presley.
97Ranks third behind Bill Cullen and Tom Kennedy in the number of game shows hosted at 15, but in front of Geoff Edwards, Bob Eubanks and Alex Trebek, breaking that record.
98Before he was a successful game show host and producer, he was a Disc Jockey on KFWB radio in Los Angeles, California, in the 1950s.

Actor

TitleYearStatusCharacter
The Bold and the Beautiful2016TV SeriesReverend Brown
$chmooze or Lo$e2014TV MovieCelebrity Judge - Himself
Hercules1998TV SeriesSphinx Martindale
The Jetsons1987TV SeriesWink Martiandale
Gridlock1980TV MovieSam
1999 A.D.1967ShortMichael Shaw
The Lively Set1964Nightclub Emcee-Singer

Producer

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Second Honeymoon1987TV Series executive producer - 1 episode
Headline Chasers1985TV Series co-producer - 1985

Soundtrack

TitleYearStatusCharacter
The Lively Set1964performer: "Look at Me"
Let's Rock1958performer: "All Love Broke Loose"

Thanks

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Elvis: The Great Performances - Center Stage, Volume One1990Video acknowledgment: additional footage provided by

Self

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Actors Reporter Interviews2011TV SeriesHimself
Actors Entertainment2010TV SeriesHimself
Hannity2010TV SeriesHimself
Instant Recall2010TV SeriesHimself - Host
Elvis: Return to Tupelo2008Video documentaryHimself
Pioneers of Television2008TV Mini-Series documentaryHimself
Entertainment Tonight2007TV SeriesHimself
The Insider's Guide to Winning Game Show Millions2007TV Movie documentaryHimself
Greatest Game Show Moments2007TV MovieHimself - Guest
1 vs. 1002006TV SeriesHimself - Mob Member
The 4th Annual TV Land Awards2006TV SpecialHimself
Moments to Remember: My Music2006TV Movie documentaryHimself - Host
Magic Moments: The Best of 50's Pop2004TV Movie documentaryHimself
E! True Hollywood Story2003TV Series documentaryHimself
Hollywood Squares2002TV SeriesHimself
Here I Stand: The Life and Legacy of Martin Luther2002Video documentaryMartin Luther
The Most Outrageous Game Show Moments2002TV SpecialHimself - Co-Host
The Definitive Elvis: The Television Years2002Video documentary
The Test2001TV SeriesHimself - Panelist
Behind the Music1999TV Series documentaryHimself
The Wonderful World of Disney1998TV SeriesHimself
Elvis: His Life and Times1997TV Special
Dave's World1997TV SeriesHimself
Debt1996TV SeriesHost
Hanged on a Twisted Cross1996Documentary
Donahue1995TV SeriesHimself
Late Night with Conan O'Brien1993TV SeriesHimself
Trivial Pursuit1993TV SeriesHimself - Host
Medusa: Dare to Be Truthful1992TV MovieHimself
Equal Justice1991TV SeriesHimself
The New High Rollers1987TV SeriesHimself - Host
Presley1987TV Mini-Series documentaryHimself
Headline Chasers1985TV SeriesHost
Elvis: Memories1985Video documentary
Woman to Woman1984TV SeriesHimself
Just Our Luck1983TV SeriesHimself
Password Plus1981TV SeriesHimself
Las Vegas Gambit1976-1980TV SeriesHimself - Host
Card Sharks1980TV SeriesHimself
The New Tic Tac Dough1978TV SeriesHost (1978-1985)
The Mike Douglas Show1975TV SeriesHimself - TV Game Show Host
Dinah!1975TV SeriesHimself
Words and Music1970TV SeriesHost (1970-1971)
Can You Top This1970TV SeriesHimself / Host
The Sky Divers1969Documentary shortNarrator (voice)
How's Your Mother-in-Law?1967TV SeriesHost (1967-1968)
Dream Girl of '671967TV SeriesHimself - Host / Himself - Bachelor Judge
Everybody's Talking1967TV SeriesAnnouncer (February-March 1967)
You Don't Say1967TV SeriesHimself
What's This Song?1964-1965TV SeriesHimself - Host
Let's Rock1958Himself
The Daily Show1996-2016TV SeriesHimself
Eye on Entertainment2016TV SeriesHimself
FabLife2015TV SeriesHimself
Good Morning America Weekend Edition2015TV Series
Pop Up Pop Culture Pop Quiz2014TV Mini-SeriesHimself - Host
Q N' A with Mikki and Shay2014TV SeriesHimself
Holiday Road Trip2013TV MovieHimself
23rd Annual Los Angeles Music Awards2013TV SpecialHimself - Award Winner
The Eric Andre Show2013TV SeriesHimself
Talent Watch2013TV SeriesHimself - Guest
Betty White's Off Their Rockers2012TV SeriesHimself / Himself - Gameshow Host

Archive Footage

TitleYearStatusCharacter
FabLife2016TV SeriesHimself

Won Awards

YearAwardCeremonyNominationMovie
2006Star on the Walk of FameWalk of FameTelevisionAwarded on June 2, 2006 at 7018 Hollywood Blvd.

Nominated Awards

YearAwardCeremonyNominationMovie
1989ACECableACE AwardsGame Show Special or SeriesSecond Honeymoon (1987)

Known for movies

Source
IMDB Wikipedia

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