American television actor Emilio Delgado, who portrayed Fix-It Shop owner Luis Rodriguez on Sesame Street for 45 years, passed away on Thursday, his manager confirmed.
Carol Delgado confirmed that her husband passed away at their New York City home after his battle with blood cancer multiple myeloma since 2020. He was 81 years old.
“A beloved member of the Sesame family for over 50 years, his warmth and humor invited children to share a friendship that has echoed through generations,” said a representative for Sesame Street.
We are heartbroken by the loss of our beloved friend & @RustinCenter Board Member Emilio Delgado @EmilioDelgado58
— Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice (@RustinCenter) March 10, 2022
We send our love to his wife Carole & his family which truly included us all
He will be missed but his spirit, energy, & kindness remains with us
"¡Pa'lante!" pic.twitter.com/76DTfrZtCn
“We are saddened by the news of Emilio’s passing. Emilio was an immense talent who brought so much joy and smiles to his fans. He will be missed by many and we know his legacy will live on. Our thoughts are with his loved ones, including his wife, Carole,” Robert Attermann, CEO of A3 Artists Agency, shared a statement with CNN.
The Mexican-American actor joined the beloved children’s television show as Luis, the handyman, in 1971 and remained on the show until 2016. He continued appearing with the show’s cast at public events and returned for Sesame Street’s 50th Anniversary Celebration in 2019.
Delgado also appeared on TV series as Cannon, Police Story, Hawaii Five-O, Person of Interest, House of Cards and The Get Down, among many others. Earlier in his career he was the artistic director of the Barrio Theatre of East of Los Angeles.