Sesame Street star Emilio Delgado dies aged 81

Actor Emilio Delgado, who appeared on Sesame Street for more than four decades, has passed away, He was 81.

Emilio was a presence in children's lives for 45 years, playing the fix-it shop owner Luis on the long-running series.  

His wife—Carol Delgado—confirmed he had died from the blood cancer multiple myeloma, which he had been battling since 2020, at their home in New York.  

Mexican-American actor was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in late 2020, but was still making appearances and giving interviews in 2021, until his health started to decline.

In a statement, producers said he was a "beloved member of the Sesame family".

Delgado, joined the show at a time when there were few ordinary Latino characters on TV.

His character Luis, first appearing in 1971, was praised for eschewing the Latin American stereotypes then common on television.  He joined the show at a time when there were few ordinary Latino characters on TV.

The actor took a year-long hiatus from the show in the mid-1980s, but returned to continue playing the viewer-favorite Luis.

He played a recurring character on the newspaper drama Lou Grant from 1979 to 1982, and made several appearances on Quincy ME, Falcon Crest, and Law & Order: Criminal Intent.