Rest In Play - 2020 - 2029
Wink Martindale
2025-05-30 18:22:50Winston Conrad "Wink" Martindale was born on December 4, 1933 and passed away on April 15, 2025 at the age of 91. Wink was a pop culture icon, most broadly known for hosting game shows, including Gamb...it, Tic-Tac-Dough, High Rollers, and Debt. Wink grew up in a deeply religious household in Jackson, Tennessee. Though his mother wanted him to be a preacher, Wink started his career as a disc jockey when he was 17 years old. It was through these line of work that he discovered just how popular Elvis Presley would be. After radio, Wink moved onto television. His first role was the host of Mars Patrol, a science-fiction themed children's TV series. He then became the host of the teenage TV series Dance Party before stepping into the world of game shows. His first gig was hosting the show What's This Song, and then moved on to Words and Music, Gambit, and Tic-Tac-Dough. This was perhaps his most successful endeavor. While he was hosting these game shows, he also made a few film cameos, notably in The Great American Traffic. Wink then decided to form his own production company, Wink Martindale Enterprises, so he could produce his own game shows. His first show was Headline Chasers, but unfortunately it was canceled after just one season. His next venture, Bumper Stumpers, was more successful. Then, in 1988, he secured the licensing rights from Parker Brothers to develop game shows based on board games, like Boggle. Getting into the later days of his career, Wink received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2006. In 2007, he was inducted into the American TV Game Show Hall of Fame. He did a few television commercials, and in 2014, Wink started a YouTube channel that featured episodes of game shows, game show pilots, rare clips from the various shows he hosted, and other game show content. Wink married Madelyn Leech in 1954 and they had four children together before divorcing in 1971. His second wife was Sandy Ferra, and they married in 1975. They had a few dogs, which Wink named after the various game shows he hosted.Show more
Ed Gale, Chucky and ‘Howard the Duck’ Actor, Dies at 61
2025-05-30 02:12:34Ed Gale, who made his film debut wearing the “Howard the Duck” suit and went on to play Chuckie in “Child’s Play” and two other films in the series, died Tuesday in Los Angeles. He was 61.
R.I.P. Peter David
2025-05-29 19:22:49Peter David, a prolific comics writer whose work on The Incredible Hulk. Aquaman, and other comics helped redefine the characters and became fan favorites, died on May 24, 2025, at the age of 68.
George Wendt, the Beer-Loving Norm on ‘Cheers,’ Dies at 77
2025-05-23 08:41:37George Wendt, who bellied up to the bar to portray the beer-quaffing everyman Norm Peterson for all 11 seasons of the fabled NBC sitcom Cheers, has died. He was 76.
Funeral details announced for Geoff Smith
2025-05-23 08:40:44Geoff Smith was a well-known and cherished figure in the toy industry whose career spanned an impressive 50 years. As a former director of A.B.Gee, Geoff played a central role in shaping one of the UK...’s most enduring toy companies.Show more
David McLeod Dies: Longtime Disney Syndication Executive Was 62
2025-05-23 08:39:19David McLeod, a syndication and content sales executive whose career at Disney spanned 35 years including 25 running the studio’s Chicago syndication office, died May 4 in Downers Grove, Illinois, f...ollowing complications from an undiagnosed illness. He was 62.Show more
Steve Pepoon
2025-05-16 11:05:47Steve Pepoon, who received an Emmy for writing an episode of The Simpsons as a freelancer, worked on other TV comedies like It’s Garry Shandling’s Show, ALF and Roseanne and co-created The Wild Th...ornberrys, has died. He was 68.Show more
R.I.P. Butch Guice
2025-05-09 08:17:10Jackson “Butch” Guice, a penciler whose 40-year career in comics included runs on Micronauts, Dr. Strange, The Death of Superman, and Ruse, died on May 1, 2025, at the age of 63. Guice began worki...ng in comics in 1981 with “Warlords of Light,” a sword-and-sorcery tale in Galaxia Magazine.Show more
R.I.P. Jack Katz
2025-05-02 04:51:26Longtime Comics Artist, Creator of Early Graphic Novel 'The First Kingdom'
