Emilio Delgado, Luis on ‘Sesame Street,' dies at 81
"He was one of the most positive people that I think I'll ever know."
Emilio Delgado, the actor best known for playing Luis on the popular PBS kids series "Sesame Street," has died. He was 81.
A representative for "Sesame Street" shared a statement on the actor's death.
"Emilio Delgado, who played Luis on Sesame Street, passed away on March 10, 2022. 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. At the forefront of representation, Emilio proudly laid claim to the ‘record for the longest-running role for a Mexican-American in a TV series.’ We are so grateful he shared his talents with us and with the world."
Sesame Workshop also shared a message about the incredible loss.
The beloved Mexican-American actor played Luis, the Fix-It Shop owner, for more than 40 years.
"He was one of the most positive people that I think I'll ever know," Sonia Manzano, who played Delgado's on-screen spouse, Maria, on the hit show, said Friday on "Good Morning America."
She added, "He was fair and he was kind. He was sincerely kind and I think that's why kids all over the world and all over America gravitated towards him the way that we all did."
She went on, "He and I were both raised at a time when there were no people of color on television at all, I'm sure. And I know for myself that I watched a lot of television and wondered what I was going to contribute to a society that did not see me, and I think that when we eventually got on 'Sesame Street,' we were -- we were what we ourselves needed to see growing up in the United States."
Delgado took a brief hiatus from the show in the late 80s but returned within a year.
In between "Sesame Street" appearances, Delgado appeared in a number of popular primetime TV series, including "Quincy," "Hawaii Five-O," "Falcon Crest," "House of Cards," and three iterations of the "Law & Order" franchise.
He was a recurring cast member of "Lou Grant," appearing in 19 episodes as national editor Rubin Castillo.