Game Show Host Wink Martindale, of Tic-Tac-Dough Fame, Dead at 91
Martindale passed away Tuesday in Rancho Mirage, California while 'surrounded by family and his beloved wife of 49 years, Sandra Martindale,' according to a family statement provided to our sister site Deadline.
More from TVLine
Nicky Katt, Boston Public Actor, Dead at 54; Cause of Death Revealed by Family
Jean Marsh, Upstairs, Downstairs Star and Doctor Who Vet, Dead at 90
Jay North, Dennis the Menace Star, Dead at 73
Starting his career as a radio DJ, Martindale moved to television, hosting his first game show in 1964: NBC's What's This Song?, which ended the following year. He went on to host Gambit, a game show based on the card game blackjack, that ran from 1972 to 1976 on CBS, along with a brief 1980 revival on NBC.
Martindale's best-known game show was Tic-Tac-Dough, a version of the classic tic-tac-toe game that debuted on CBS and in syndication in 1978. On the show, players answered trivia questions to claim X's and O's on a nine-space board, with a bonus round that included a 'dragon' square that resulted in a player losing all their money. Tic-Tac-Dough became a hit, and Martindale remained as host until 1985, when he left to host a new syndicated game show called Headline Chasers.
Martindale also created and co-produced the popular USA Network game show Bumper Stumpers, which premiered in 1987, and hosted a short-lived revival of the dice game High Rollers. He later hosted game shows based on the board games Trivial Pursuit and Boggle for the Family Channel in the mid-'90s, as well as the Lifetime game show Debt. In recent years, Martindale became an elder statesman of TV game show hosts, making appearances as himself in commercials and on other game shows.
TV Stars We Lost in 2025
View Gallery22 Images
Best of TVLine
Yellowjackets Mysteries: An Up-to-Date List of the Series' Biggest Questions (and Answers?)
The Emmys' Most Memorable Moments: Laughter, Tears, Historical Wins, 'The Big One' and More
'Missing' Shows, Found! The Latest on Severance, Holey Moley, Poker Face, YOU, Primo, Transplant and 25+ Others
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Forbes
27 minutes ago
- Forbes
TCA Awards 2025: ‘The Pitt' Sweeps With Four Wins; Kathy Bates Honored For Career Achievement
The Television Critics Association (TCA) announced the winners of the 41st Annual TCA Awards, held virtually to recognize outstanding television programming and performances from the 2024–2025 season. Among this year's most celebrated titles were The Pitt, which dominated with four wins (including Program of the Year), Adolescence, The Studio, Doctor Who, The Traitors, and Sesame Street. The TCA, comprised of approximately 200 professional TV critics and journalists from the United States and Canada, honors excellence across broadcast, cable, and streaming platforms. The Career Achievement Award was presented to Oscar winner Kathy Bates, who at present stars in the successful reboot of legal drama Matlock on CBS. 'Your recognition means the world to me, and I'm grateful to all of the TCA members for this incredible honor. Your support and dedication to the television industry are invaluable, and I am truly humbled by your acknowledgment.," said Bates in a statement. Bridget Everett received the Individual Achievement in Comedy award for her role as Sam Miller in the HBO dramedy Somebody Somewhere. 'I am beyond grateful to be honored for this show, which has meant so much to me," said Everett. "And I'm especially grateful to have the opportunity to thank you, the critics, who saw what we were trying to do from the very beginning.' Noah Wyle earned Individual Achievement in Drama for his performance in HBO Max medical procedural drama The Pitt. 'It is an honor to be nominated, especially in that company, and it is incredibly gratifying to win. I've known a lot of you for a long time. You've written some lovely things about me through the years and about my shows—especially this one,' he said. Among the other winners were Peacock's The Traitors, which won its second consecutive award for Outstanding Achievement in Reality. Apple TV+ industry satire The Studio was cited for Outstanding Achievement in Comedy. And Adolescence on Netflix won in the category of Outstanding Achievement in Movies, Miniseries, or Specials. Sesame Street, meanwhile, received the Heritage Award, recognizing its lasting impact on television and generations of viewers through educational programming. Here is the full list of winners of the 41st Annual TCA Awards. Program of the Year — The Pitt (HBO Max) Outstanding Achievement in Comedy — The Studio (Apple TV+) Outstanding Achievement in Drama — The Pitt (HBO Max) Outstanding Achievement in Movies, Miniseries or Specials — Adolescence (Netflix) Outstanding New Program — The Pitt (HBO Max) Individual Achievement in Drama — Noah Wyle, The Pitt (HBO Max) Individual Achievement in Comedy — Bridget Everett, Somebody Somewhere (HBO) Outstanding Achievement in News and Information — Pee-wee as Himself (HBO) Outstanding Achievement in Variety, Talk or Sketch — SNL50: The Anniversary Special (NBC) Outstanding Achievement in Reality — The Traitors (Peacock) Outstanding Achievement in Family Programming — Doctor Who (Disney+) Outstanding Achievement in Children's Programming — Sesame Street (HBO) Career Achievement Award – Kathy Bates Heritage Award – Sesame Street
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
'The Biggest Loser' Winner Danni Allen Defends Show After Netflix Doc, Says It Was ‘Extreme' but a ‘Positive Experience'
''The Biggest Loser' was not without its flaws, but it also gave me lasting friendships and lessons,' season 14 winner Danni Allen said NEED TO KNOW Danni Allen, season 14 winner of 'The Biggest Loser,' took to social media to defend the weight-loss competition series Although she wasn't a part of Netflix's new bombshell documentary, Fit for TV: The Reality of The Biggest Loser, she said her experience on the show was positive She reminded her followers that the show is 'not without its flaws,' but it gave her lasting lessons Dannielle "Danni" Allen — season 14 winner of The Biggest Loser — is speaking out about Netflix's new tell-all documentary centered on the weight loss competition show. On Monday, August 18, Allen posted on Instagram and defended the NBC show, which has sparked controversy following Netflix's new documentary, Fit for TV: The Reality of The Biggest Loser. 'Here's the deal…I can only speak to my season,' she wrote. 'Was it extreme? Oh, absolutely. Working out 8-10 hours a day on very few calories isn't exactly the picture of balance. But for me, it was still a positive experience.' 'Did the show want ratings and money? 100%. It was television, not summer camp,' she continued. 'But I chose to be part of it, and I'm forever grateful for the family I gained from the experience (love you, BL fam🩷).' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Allen then gave a shout out to the 'unsung heroes' — those who worked behind the scenes — noting that they cared about the contestants and 'never made it into drama.' 'I didn't participate in the doc; I never know which 'storyline' they're going to spin. (And trust me, I've had enough slow-mo weigh-in shots for a lifetime😂) But I do plan to watch eventually, and if I feel compelled, I'll share my POV,' she wrote. 'For now, just remember: it was TV. Sometimes dramatized, sometimes inspiring, always sweaty.' In the caption, Allen added, 'I'll say this: The Biggest Loser was not without its flaws, but it also gave me lasting friendships and lessons. What I believe strongly is that we can all keep learning about health, and when we're able, invest in ourselves.' Five years after The Biggest Loser ended for good, the alleged darker side of the show has been examined in Fit for TV: The Reality of The Biggest Loser, which began streaming on Aug. 15. ! The new three-episode Netflix docuseries covers not only the show's public missteps, including a 2016 bombshell medical study that claimed contestants permanently had damaged their metabolic rates, but new behind-the-scenes details about some of the unhealthy decisions allegedly made by its cast, crew and showrunners during The Biggest Loser's 18-season run. Allen won Biggest Loser in 2013. She began the series at 258 lbs. and lost 121 lbs., finishing at 137 lbs. (a 47% weight loss). Shortly after her win, she became the marketing director for a Chicago-area Planet Fitness. In May 2019, she told the Chicago Tribune that she weighed around 175 to 180 lbs., which she considered a "healthy, happy weight for me to maintain without going crazy in the gym." Read the original article on People
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Jillian Michaels vs. Netflix's ‘Biggest Loser' docuseries, explained
Jillian Michaels isn't staying quiet. Days after Netflix released its three-part docuseries Fit for TV: The Reality of the Biggest Loser, the celebrity trainer is firing back, calling the project 'so egregious and so damaging' while dropping a string of Instagram receipts to dispute its claims. She's also threatening legal action against Netflix, her former costar Bob Harper, and show doctor Robert Huizenga, telling TMZ she's meeting with powerhouse attorney Bryan Freedman to 'explore her options.' The docuseries, directed by Skye Borgman (Abducted in Plain Sight), revisits the controversial NBC hit that launched in 2004 and became a ratings juggernaut over more than a decade. Through interviews with former contestants, producers, and insiders, it exposes extreme weight-loss tactics, emotional manipulation, and the messy fallout behind the scenes. More from Gold Derby Great guns! Giancarlo Esposito on being the first 'Boys' actor to muscle his way into the Emmy race 2025 Television Critics Association Awards winners: 'The Pitt' claims more than any other show, Bridget Everett shocks after Emmy snub Speaking to Gold Derby last week, Borgman and executive producer Michael Gasparro defended their approach, saying their goal was to tell the story primarily from the contestants' perspective. 'We didn't want to make something salacious,' Gasparro explained. 'We wanted to go deeper and understand why these contestants were in such a vulnerable place that they'd put themselves in front of a massive audience.' But Michaels, who appears in the doc only through archival footage, insists the series paints a false and damaging picture of her role on the show — and she came armed with evidence to prove it. Here's a summary of all she's disputing (for now): Caffeine pills The documentary implies Michaels secretly gave contestants unauthorized caffeine pills despite medical warnings. Michaels posted a 2009 email chain involving herself, Harper, Huizenga's team, and producers showing otherwise. The email chain appears to support Michaels' claim that caffeine was never banned from the show and was approved by Huizenga. She says Harper not only knew about the caffeine pills, but suggested them. The Bob Harper fallout The docuseries also revisits Michaels' strained relationship with Harper, which reportedly fractured after Harper's 2017 heart attack. In Fit for TV, Harper claims Michaels never reached out. Michaels countered by posting one of her 'last texts ever' to Harper from June 2014: 'I really think it's sh-tty of you to not even respond to my texts. It's this kind of thing that always makes me so disappointed in our relationship.' So maybe Harper was the one doing the ghosting? We'll probably never know. The 1,600-calorie diet defense Contestants in the doc allege they were pushed to dangerously low-calorie diets. Michaels shared screenshots of texts and emails showing she instructed contestants to consume 1,600 calories per day, claiming the production team approved those numbers. The "millionaire" quote denial In one interview, Season 1 winner Ryan Benson alleges Michaels said to him at the finale: 'You're going to make me a millionaire.' Michaels flatly rejected it, stating she was miked up the whole time and if she ever said anything like that, surely they'd be able to prove it. 'So egregious and so damaging' — Jillian calls TMZ After posting her receipts, Michaels phoned TMZ to escalate her response. In the interview, she called the doc 'filled with so many lies' and confirmed she's meeting with Freedman to discuss possible legal action. 'This is so egregious and so damaging that I don't think I have a choice,' Michaels told TMZ, adding she's 'giving them all the receipts' to back up her claims. Freedman is known for handling high-profile Hollywood disputes — from Tucker Carlson to Justin Baldoni — signaling that Michaels could be gearing up for a serious legal brawl. The filmmakers stand by their approach While Michaels doubles down, Borgman and Gasparro maintain that Fit for TV aimed to shed light on the human cost of reality television rather than single out any one individual. Borgman told Gold Derby that revisiting the show years later was eye-opening. 'I was just so struck at how I remembered it differently from my experience of it now, today,' she said. 'The only way to tell this story was from the contestants' perspective — they had the most authentic, most real, and most diverse experiences.' And while Michaels disputes her portrayal, Borgman acknowledged her undeniable impact: 'She's a dynamic personality. You can't take your eyes off her. For better or worse, Jillian is magnetic.' What happens next For now, Netflix has not commented on Michaels' accusations, and neither Harper nor Huizenga have responded publicly. Michaels continues to use her platform to defend her reputation and dispute the narrative she says Fit for TV gets wrong. Whether or not a lawsuit materializes, the controversy has reignited broader questions about how far reality TV can — and should — go when documenting health, weight loss, and personal struggles. And if Michaels' Instagram stories and TMZ interview are any indication, this fight is just getting started. Best of Gold Derby 'Australian Survivor vs. The World' premiere date and cast photos: 'King' George Mladenov, Cirie Fields, Parvati Shallow … 'Five new life forms from distant planets': Everything to know about 'Alien: Earth' as new trailer drops Everything to know about 'The Pitt' Season 2, including the departure of Tracy Ifeachor's Dr. Collins Click here to read the full article. Solve the daily Crossword
