The man who played Luis Rodriguez on Sesame Street for 45 years has died. He was 81 when he died in his New York City home, after being diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2020.
Born in Calexico, California, on the border between the United States and Mexico, he was enamored with music and performance from an early age. He spent time as artistic director at the Mexican-American Centre of Creative Arts, teaching drama to Los Angeles high school students.
When he received a job offer in 1971, he was invited to leave California and join the cast of Sesame Street. The series was already a cultural institution at this point, having debut in 1969 to both national and Hispanic praise.
The show's producers brought in a crew of Hispanic and Latino voices both in front of and behind the camera, including a new crop of actors. After a single season, Julia left the series, but Delgado stayed on for the next four decades, teaching lessons to generation after generation of kids.
The wedding of Luis and Maria was one of the most important moments in the show's long history. The retooling that accompanied the show's shift to HBO caused the Sesame Workshop to decline to renew his contract. Delgado would continue to be associated with the series, appearing in its 50th anniversary special in 2019, and his final film credit was as a talking head in the Street Gang documentary about the show.
In addition to his regular Street gig, Delgado also continued to work outside the series, appearing in New York-shot productions. He had five appearances as different characters on the various Law & Order franchises. Luis, along with more than half a lifetime spent making kids feel a little brighter and safer, will be his enduring legacy. In his own words, he noted the rarity of that kind of role in 1970s America, which was a role of a Latino, Mexican-American. He owned his own business in the neighborhood. It was a role that hadn't been shown before.
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