Emilio Delgado

Emilio Ernest Delgado (May 8, 1940 – March 10, 2022) was an American actor best known for his role as Luis, the Fix-it Shop owner, on the children's television series Sesame Street. He joined the cast of Sesame Street in 1971 and remained until his contract was not renewed, in late 2016, as part of Sesame Workshop's retooling of the series.

Following his departure, the workshop stated that Delgado would continue to represent them at public events. Delgado also appeared as Luis in the TV special Sesame Street's 50th Anniversary Celebration. He began his professional career in Los Angeles in 1968. Delgado lived in New York City with his wife Carole Delgado.

Life and career

Childhood, education and early roles

Delgado was born in Calexico, California, to Emilio Delgado and Carmen Rodriguez Delgado on May 8, 1940. As a citizen of the United States, he would walk daily to attend a public school in Calexico. when he was a teenager. During high school, three years of which he attended Glendale High School, he became president of the Thespian Club; he played the trombone in the jazz band and he was a drum major in the marching band. That year, he received his first Equity job in a summer stock play starring Martha Raye,

Befriending actor Sergei Tschernisch at Los Angeles theatre company Inner City Repertory, Delgado learned of the new theatre program at CalArts, led by Provost Herb Blau. While already a professional actor as of his 1970 enrollment, Delgado praised Blau's methods, suggesting his avant-garde method was "amazing." Delgado told the Los Angeles Times: "We are 100% positive in our approach, and we are uncompromising in our belief that our kids will come away thinking of themselves as artists. Nothing is going to stop us from attaining our identification in American society."

Delgado had a guest role in an October 1970 episode Storefront Lawyers before being cast as a series regular in Angie's Garage in November 1970. The new children's series focused on serving Mexican-American children. He was billed as a singer-guitarist. He speculated that Sesame Street producers discovered him through the series. During the season, the program attempted to teach Spanish to children whose mother tongue was English. Producer Jon Stone told The Pittsburgh Press that their attempts were "a disaster. It was tokenism at best, and condescension at worst." For the third season, the show rebooted their efforts, adding Puerto Ricans and Chicanos, and creating new Spanish segments. Delgado was still enrolled at CalArts when he was cast.

Delgado was named the coordinator of the Children's Television Workshop's Bilingual Task Force, and he was sent across the country to meet with groups. The efforts were to lead to further updates to content in season 4.

Delgado is believed to have played "the same role on American television longer than any other Mexican-American actor," according to CalArts. Delgado also reprised the role of Luis in the TV special Sesame Street's 50th Anniversary Celebration.

Delgado also performed in live shows throughout his Sesame Street career, singing the songs of Sesame Street and entertaining thousands of children and their families.

Additional roles Delgado took guest roles on other series while Sesame Street was not taping. Notably, he had a recurring role as national news editor Rubin Castillo on the television series Lou Grant.

His other television appearances include House of Cards, Law & Order, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. He was a regular cast member of Lou Grant and the short-lived Born to the Wind. He also appeared in episodes of Police Story; Hawaii Five-O; and Quincy, M.E.

Delgado's other creative endeavor was to sing and record with the band Pink Martini. He performed with the band at Carnegie Hall and Town Hall in New York City, The Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, in Woodinville, Washington at the Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery, and in Portland, Oregon at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, Crystal Ballroom and the Oregon Zoo. He appears on their album Splendor in the Grass, in which he recorded the song "Sing", a duet with China Forbes.

In the latter years of his life, just before his death, he also served on the board of directors at the Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice, an LGBTQIA+ safe-space, community activist center, and educational bridge dedicated to honoring Bayard Rustin through their mission and good works.

Personal life Emilio and Carole were married in Bermuda, January 28, 1990. Delgado has a daughter, Lauren, and a son, Aram Delgado, from his previous marriage, who died on December 28, 2023.

Recognitions Delgado received The Impact Award from the National Hispanic Media Coalition, The HOLA Ilka Award, and the Keys to the cities of Evansville and Omaha.

Death In December 2020, Delgado was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. He died from the disease at his home in Manhattan, New York City, on March 10, 2022, at the age of 81.

Filmography I Will Fight No More Forever - TV movie - Ollokot (1975) Born to the Wind - White Bull (1982) Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird - Luis Rodriguez (1985) Reggie's Prayer - Stadium Announcer (1996) The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland - Luis Rodriguez (1999) Perhaps Tomorrow - Zelgai (2010) A Case of You - Roberto (2013) Peeples - Chief Oneka (2013) Montauk - Eduardo (2013) Luz Marina - Carlos (2018) iGilbert - Rodolfo Gonzalez (2021) Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street - Self (2021)

Television Storefront Lawyers - episode - Survivors Will Be Prosecuted - Cadena (1970) Sesame Street - Luis Rodriguez (1971–2016 & 2019) Cannon - episode - Cry Wolf - Dr. Guiterrez (1976) Police Story - episode - Spanish Class - Agitator #1 (1976) Delvecchio - episode - The High Price of Justice - Attorney (1977) Hawaii Five-O - episode - The Ninth Step - Vic Salazar (1977) ABC Weekend Specials - episode - Tales of the Nunundaga - White Bull (1977) The Chisholms - TV Mini-Series - Native Trader (1979) Lou Grant - 19 episodes - Rubin Castillo (1979–1982) Quincy, M.E. - episode - Welcome to Paradise Palms - Felix Wanaka (1980) Born to the Wind - White Bull (1981) Quincy, M.E. - episode - D.U.I. - Officer Garcia (1981) Falcon Crest - episode - Unaired Pilot - Fernando Diaz (1982) Falcon Crest - episode - Lord of the Manor - Paul (1982) The 10th Annual People's Choice Awards - TV Special - Himself - Accepting Award from Favourite Children's Program (1984) Learning About Letters - Sesame Street Video short - Luis Rodriguez (1986) Sing Along - Sesame Street Video short - Luis Rodriguez (1987) Sesame Street, Special - TV Movie - Luis Rodriguez (1988) Sesame Street: 20 and Still Counting - TV Special - Himself/Luis Rodriguez (1989) Sing Yourself Silly! - Sesame Street Video short - Luis Rodriguez (1990) Sesame Street Home Video Visits the Hospital - Sesame Street Video short - Luis Rodriguez (1990) Sesame Street Stays Up Late! - TV Special - Himself/Luis Rodriguez (1993) All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever! - Sesame Street TV Movie - Luis Rodriguez (1994) Elmo Saves Christmas - Video - Luis Rodriguez (1996) Learn Along with Sesame - episodes - Lead Away, and For Me, For You, For Latter (1996–2011) Elmopalooza! - TV Special - Himself/Luis Rodriguez (1998) Sesame Street 'A Is for Asthma''' - Sesame Street Video short - Luis Rodriguez (1998)Cosby - episode - It's a Wonderful Wife (2000)Between the Lions - episode - The Ram in the Pepper Patch - The Ram (voice) (2000) Law & Order - episode - Surrender Dorothy - Elias Soriano (2000)Sesame Street: Three Bears and a New Baby - Video - Luis Rodriguez (2003)Law & Order: Criminal Intent - episode - Pas de Deux - Ari Hernandez (2004)Sesame Street Presents: The Street We Live On - TV Movie - Luis Rodriguez (2004)Sesame Street: Friends to the Rescue - Video - Luis Rodriguez (2005)Guess That Shape and Color - Sesame Street Video short - Luis Rodriguez (2006)Law & Order: Criminal Intent - episode - Amends - Rodolfo Delgado (2007)Ready for School - Sesame Street Video - Luis Rodriguez (2007)Law & Order: Special Victims Unit - episode - Inconceivable - Enrique Diaz (2008)Late Night with Jimmy Fallon - 1 episode - Don EnriqueCupid - episode - Live and Let Spy - Gus (2009)The 36th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards - TV Special - Himself (uncredited) (2009)Person of Interest - episode - Pilot - Detective Padilla (uncredited) (2011) Sesame Street: Fairy Tale Fun! - Video - Luis Rodriguez (2013)Little Children, Big Challenges - episode - Incarceration - Luis Rodriguez (2013) The Michael J. Fox Show - episode - Couples - Flower Vendor (2014)I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story - Documentary - Himself (2014)House of Cards - episode - Chapter 33 - Ambassador Davila (2015)The Get Down - 1 episode - Minister Ruiz (2017)The Bravest Knight - 3 episodes The King (voice) (2019) Sesame Street's 50th Anniversary Celebration - TV special - Luis Rodriguez (2019)Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Turn Me on Take Me Private" as Aaron Carrera (2021)

Video gamesLet's Learn to Play Together - Luis Rodriguez (1988)Red Dead Revolver - Video Game - Bandits #3, D-Troopers #1 (2004)Red Dead Redemption 2 - Del Lobos, The Local Pedestrian Population (2018)Red Dead Online'' - Alfredo Montez (2019)