Emilio Delgado, beloved Luis on Sesame Street for 40 years, dies at age 81 of blood cancer

It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Emilio Delgado, who has played the beloved Luis on “Sesame Street” for the past four decades. He was 81 when he lost his battle with blood cancer.

Emilio’s passing is a great loss to the entire A3 Artists Agency family, whose CEO Robert Attermann spoke to the Daily News in a statement. Emilio was represented by the A3 Artists Agency before he passed away, according to A3 Artists’ statement.

Carol Delgado, the actress’ wife, told TMZ on Thursday that Emilio Delgado died at a New York City residence surrounded by family members. He was 79.

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The Los Angeles Times reported that Emilio Attermann brought so much joy and smiles to his fans during his time on the show. There is no doubt that he will be missed by many and his legacy will live on forever.” he said. We send our loving thoughts and condolences to his family, including his beloved wife, Carole.”

Despite being born in Calexico, Cal., he spent his early years in Mexicali, Mexico, where he began shining shoes as a child and repairing bicycles with his uncle during the time he attended elementary school in the U.S.

He graduated from Glendale High School in Los Angeles in the fall of 1987 and pursued a career as a folk singer and guitarist, crooning traditional Spanish boleros and Mexican trios with Mexican bands, according to his biography on IMDBpro.

He started his acting career in 1968 with the PBS series “Cancion De La Raza” (“Song of the People”) on KCET-LA. He landed the role of Luis, the owner of the “Fix-It Shop” on “Sesame Street,” when it brought Latino actors into its fold.

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In addition to his theatre work on and off-Broadway, Emilio Delgado has also acted in numerous productions of Shakespeare at the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, the INTAR Theatre, Round House Theatre and Manhattan Theatre Source.

“It’s kind of a continuation of what ‘Sesame Street’ was trying to do with its portrayal of diversity and inclusion,” Delgado told the paper, “with showing a variety of different kinds of people and showing them how they live differently, speak differently, or eat differently.” Ultimately it was about educating all those kids and families out there who didn’t even know that there might be others that were like them or were different when it came to …