Veteran ‘Sesame Street’ actor Emilio Delgado dies at 81

Veteran television star, Emilio Delgado, who was popularly known for his character Luis Rodriguez, the  Fix-It Shop owner, on Sesame Street, has died on Thursday, his manager confirmed.

His wife, Carol Delgado confirmed that he died from the blood cancer multiple myeloma, which he had been battling since 2020, at their home in New York City. He was 81.

Delgado played Luis the handyman on the beloved children’s television show for around 45 years.

"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," said a representative for Sesame Street.

"We are saddened by the news of Emilio's passing. Emilio was an immense talent who brought so much joy and smiles to his fans. He will be missed by many and we know his legacy will live on. Our thoughts are with his loved ones, including his wife, Carole," Robert Attermann, CEO of A3 Artists Agency, shared a statement with CNN.

The Mexican-American actor joined the beloved children’s television show as Luis, the handyman, in 1971 and remained on the show until 2016. He continued appearing with the show's cast at public events and returned for Sesame Street's 50th Anniversary Celebration in 2019.

Delgado also appeared on TV series as Cannon, Police Story, Hawaii Five-O, Person of Interest, House of Cards and The Get Down, among many others. Earlier in his career he was the artistic director of the Barrio Theatre of East of Los Angeles.