Best known and beloved for playing Luis on Sesame Street, Emilio Delgado has died. He was 81. The actor’s wife, Carol Delgado, reportedly confirmed to TMZ that her husband died surrounded by family at his New York City home after a battle with blood cancer, which he was diagnosed with in December of 2020.
Delgado portrayed Luis on the iconic children’s show for more than four decades, only taking a break from the show in the 1980s. He worked until the pandemic, and resumed acting with voiceover work in January of this year.
The Calexico, California-born actor and singer appeared on Sesame Street “from 1971-2015 and has the unofficial distinction of having played the same role on U.S. television longer than any other Mexican American actor,” according to his bio on IMDb. Delgado also appeared as a recurring cast member of the Lou Grant Show and appeared in Hawaii 5-0, among other roles, beginning his professional acting career in 1968. Delgado’s role as Luis “was very meaningful to Emilio because it offered a positive portrayal of a Mexican American on television. He can claim the longest running part for a Mexican American actor in a continuing television series for his 44 years on Sesame Street.”