Wink Martindale, a longtime fixture on U.S. television as the host of "Tic-Tac-Dough," "High Rollers" and other game shows, died on Tuesday at age 91, his manager said.
Martindale died in Rancho Mirage, California, his manager, Dolores Cantu, said. No cause of death was provided.
Martindale's publicist gave some more background on the health issues that the legendary host had been facing in recent years.
"He'd been battling lymphoma for about a year, and was doing well, according to his rep Brian Mayes," reported TMZ. "But about 2 weeks ago, Wink took a turn for the worst, and was in a hospital getting treatment when he died."
“He was doing pretty well up until a couple weeks ago,” Mayes told The Associated Press in a phone interview from Martindale's native Memphis.
Lymphoma is a cancer of the body's lymphatic system, which plays a role in fighting diseases.
Born on December 4, 1933, in Jackson, Tennessee, Martindale started his career in radio. While working at a station in Memphis, he met a young Elvis Presley and the two stayed friends until Presley's death in 1977.
A fan of game shows, Martindale tried his hand at the format in 1964 with "What's This Song?," earning fans with his baritone voice and pleasant demeanor. He hosted more than a dozen game shows over his career, including "Gambit," "Debt" and "Headline Chasers."
Martindale was given the first name Winston at birth and said Wink was inspired by a childhood friend.
"When I was a kid in Jackson, Tennessee, one of my playmates, Jimmy McCord, couldn't say 'Winston,' which is my given name. He had a speech impediment, and it came out sounding like 'Winky'," Martindale told ABC News in 2014. "So Winston turned into Winky, and then I got into the business and Wink it was! It served me well." Web Desk/Reuters