He was instrumental in Latino representation on kids’ TV (and in teaching lots of young kids some Spanish). When he started out on SS, working at the Fix-It shop, he co-starred with Raul Julia, who played Rafael for a short time. And he ended up marrying Maria in what was a historic moment for us kids who grew up with the show. (Jose Ferrer played his uncle in the wedding scene.) And he sang the Spanish verse in the original version of “Sing.”
He’d been off the show for some time now (along with all the rest of the original human cast), but holds a special place in the hearts of Gen-Xers.
I remember the first time I had tacos was because of sesame street … Luis was eating one and big bird asked what it was and they had a whole thing on how to cook it and such and I bugged my mom (who already knew how to make them since she lived in California in the 70s) to make us some … no one else except my dad and an uncle in the family (they had been in the army at fort ord)even knew what a taco was (the area didn’t get a taco bell until 82 )
Boy tho getting decent tortillas in Indiana in the very early 80s was a bitch tho she said … she had to go to a bodega type of place and buy them handmade …
