Emilio Delgado, Luis, The Fix-It Shop owner on Sesame Street , dies at 81

Emilio Delgado, who played Luis Rodriguez, the owner of The Fix-It Shop, on Sesame Street died March 10 at age 81.

His wife Carole confirmed the news to TMZ, who reported Delgado was diagnosed with the blood cancer multiple myeloma in 2020.

Zach Hyman

"Emilio Delgado, who played Luis on Sesame Street, passed away on March 10, 2022," says Sesame Workshop, the production company behind Sesame Street, in a statement to EW. "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."

A Chicano rights activist and a native of Calexico, Cali., Delgado joined Sesame Street in its third season in 1971 as part of the show's efforts to reach younger Spanish-speaking viewers. Luis ran The Fix-It Shop, Sesame Street's repair service, alongside a young Raul Julia, who played Rafael.

Delgado only expected the role to last one or two seasons — Julia left the show in 1972 — but he ended up staying on as Luis for more than four decades. During that time he married fellow Street inhabitant Maria (Sonia Manzano) and in 1989 they had a child together, Gabi (Gabriela Rose Reagan and later Desiree Casado).

"To this day, there are fans out there who want to believe that the Luis and Maria wedding episode in 1988 was real," Delgado said in an interview with his alma mater CalArts in 2015. "The fact of the matter is, it was just terrific acting."

PBS/courtesy Everett Collection

In 2016, Sesame Street let go of Delgado and two other longtime cast members, Bob McGrath (Bob) and Roscoe Orman ("Gordon"), as part of the show's "re-tooling" for HBO. However, Delgado reprised his role as Luis for Sesame Street's 50th anniversary special.

"People have come up to me and said, 'You were such a positive influence. I learned how to speak English by watching you. You were the only one on television who looked like me,'" Delgado told CalArts, adding. "I consider myself one of the luckiest guys to be part of Sesame Street."

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