Sesame Street fans are mourning the death of longtime series star Emilio Delgado.
The actor’s wife, Carol, confirmed the tragic news to TMZ on Thursday, just hours after he died at his New York City home surrounded by family. Carol told the outlet Delgado was diagnosed with blood cancer in December 2020, and had recently been in hospice care. He was 81 years old.
The California-born, Mexico-raised actor began his career in the late 1960s, when he started landing roles for various stage productions. He joined the cast of Sesame Street in 1971, and would go on to play the Fix-It Shop owner Luis Rodriguez for a total of 40 years. Delgado reportedly took a hiatus from the children’s program in the 1980s, but returned within a year. He continued to star in the series until his contract expired in 2016.
During a 2018 interview with the Boston Globe, Delgado spoke about his longtime role on the iconic TV show and the family he created on set.
“It was fantastic. The people that I was working with were all incredibly talented,” he said. “We still get along so marvelously. We created another family for ourselves. We all stay in touch all the time. We have lunch together, we have dinner together, we go to functions together. We take vacations together sometimes. So we’re very much a part of each others’ lives to this day.”
Carol told TMZ her husband was still working up until the pandemic, playing the lead in the theater production of Quixote Nuevo, as well as securing a number of voiceover gigs. His filmography credits also include acting roles on TV shows like House of Cards, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Lou Grant, Quincy M.E., Falcon Crest, and The Bravest Knight.
He is survived by two children, Aram and Lauren Delgado, along with his wife Carol.
