As these pictures show, both on and off the red carpet, Rourke only had eyes for Loki. Our chihuahua-compiling research also turned up evidence that before The Wrestler came out last year, Rourke used to host a weekly, Loki-dedicated night of karaoke at Rokbar in Miami. He did this shirtless, wearing a black leather vest, as is the custom in Florida.

Rest in peace, Loki. You died too late to join the "In Memoriam" pool, but we'll be saving our applause for you regardless.

[Photo Credit: AP, Getty Images, WENN, X17]

TMZ broke the news last night, just as these snippets were released from Rourke's upcoming interview with Barbara Walters:

"I sort of self-destructed and everything came out about fourteen years ago or so ... the wife had left, the career was over, the money was not an ounce," Rourke, 56, reveals during the Oscar night edition of The Barbara Walters Special, of which PEOPLE has an exclusive preview. "The dogs were there when no one else was there." [...]

"I think I hadn't left the house for four or five months, and I was sitting in the closet, sleeping in the closet for some reason, and I was in a bad place, and I just remember I was thinking, 'Oh, man, if I do this,' " he tells Walters. "And then I looked at my dog, Lowjack, and he made a sound, like a little almost human sound. I don't have kids, the dogs became everything to me. The dog was looking at me going, 'Who's going to take care of me?' "

Rourke didn't let a little thing like Loki's death keep him from hitting up some Manhattan hotspots last night, but we all know that the man is hurting inside. The competition to become his Oscar date has just been thinned even further. Bai Ling, it didn't have to be like this.

• R.I.P. Mickey Rourke's Dog [TMZ]

• Mickey Rourke — Comforted By Puppy Love [TMZ]

• Mickey Rourke: My Dogs Saved My Life [People]

Montalbán's career spanned decades. He was Mexican-born, and was discovered working in Mexican movies by MGM, who signed him to appear in musicals in the '40s. Here he is in 1947's Fiesta, dancing alongside the recently departed Cyd Charisse.

Here he is dancing a Tango with Jane Powell in 1950's Two Weeks with Love.

In the late '70s, he was the spokesperson for the Chrysler Cordoba, where his rolling "r"s helped tap into consumers' subconscious need for Corinthian leather in their American cruisers—nothing less.

He'll be best known as Fantasy Island's Mr. Roarke, playing that wish-granting tropical locale's proprietor/Tattoo-keeper with just the right amount of swarthy Latin mystery.

Montalbán reprised his 1967 Star Trek role of intergalactic tyrant Khan Noonien Singh in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, where he rocked a voluptuous he-bosom so impressive, its authenticity is disputed to this day.

Finally, we can't overlook his work in The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad, playing the nefarious tycoon Vincent Ludwig. Only Montalbán could deliver lines like, "Tell me, Mr. Papshmir, in all the world, who is the most effective assassin?" with such chillingly stone-faced effectiveness.

• Ricardo Montalban dies at 88 [LAT]
• 'Fantasy Island' star Ricardo Montalban dies at 88 [AP]

"He knew he was going to die," a friend told the LAT, "and he wanted his two young sons to have the money for their future."

It's a sad farewell to a local entrepreneurial visionary, and we're hopeful that Book Soup will pass on to loving and capable hands, and not some faceless corporate monolith who would deprive us of the kinds of Blanche and Rose Live! delights that made the store such a regular fixture in our To Do listings.

• Glenn Goldman, owner of Book Soup, dies at 58 [LAT]

In between, we lost a shark hunter, an ape-fighting guerrilla, a pinup icon, a dirty word demystifier, a Hedy Lamarr (that's HEDLEY), a Ghost World convenience store clerk, a dysdinotopia visionary, a Tootsie director, a King of Comedy, a set of legs that just kept on going, a Shady Pines escapee, a fork-tongued fashion cop, the Voice of God himself, a Dolemite-waiter, and Paul Newman. Paul Fucking Newman, people. He's gone.

We've compiled an In Memoriam montage for you, sensitively set to Kenny Loggins's electrifying Top Gun soundtrack smash, "Highway to the Danger Zone." Here's hoping they're all performing acrobatic maneuvers through the gates of Heaven, with G-d as their wingman.

Bettie Page
Don LaFontaine
Cyd Charisse
Anthony Minghella
Rudy Ray Moore
Van Johnson
Isaac Hayes
Sam Bottoms
Mr Blackwell
Brad Renfro
Bernie Mac
Harvey Korman
Michael Crichton
Estelle Getty
Sydney Pollack
Roy Scheider
Charlton Heston
George Carlin
Heath Ledger
Paul Newman

(And a very special, "oops we left her out of the montage" mention to Eartha Kitt.)

First, and perhaps most notably, Kitt lent her delicious purr to its most inevitable use when she took over the role of Catwoman on Batman in the 1960s. Here's a clip of the actress at full seductive powers; as Batman confides to Robin, "She may be evil, but she is attractive."

As her Catwoman stint proved, when Kitt was bad, she was never better. Thus, her song finding heavy rotation in Defamer HQ today is not "Santa Baby" but the wickedly entertaining "I Want to Be Evil." Rest in peace, Eartha; today, we'll scratch and hiss in your honor.

• 'Santa Baby' Singer Eartha Kitt Dies [People]

"While the world knew him as a great story teller that challenged our preconceived notions about the world around us — and entertained us all while doing so — his wife Sherri, daughter Taylor, family and friends knew Michael Crichton as a devoted husband, loving father and generous friend who inspired each of us to strive to see the wonders of our world through new eyes. He did this with a wry sense of humor that those who were privileged to know him personally will never forget.

Through his books, Michael Crichton served as an inspiration to students of all ages, challenged scientists in many fields, and illuminated the mysteries of the world in a way we could all understand.

He will be profoundly missed by those whose lives he touched, but he leaves behind the greatest gifts of a thirst for knowledge, the desire to understand, and the wisdom to use our minds to better our world.

Michael's family respectfully asks for privacy during this difficult time.

A private funeral service is expected, but no further details will be released to the public."

• "Jurassic Park" Author Michael Crichton Dead at 66 [momlogic]

• Estelle Reiner, 94, Comedy Matriarch, Is Dead [NYT]

The guy was an innovator, a soul-butterer, a sex-machine to all the chicks, a chocolate-salty-balls-haver. And the guy never changed: Here he is performing in Chicago in 1973 (rocking a cape, gold link harness, and orange leggings), and looking as if he hadn't aged a day at the Hollywood Bowl 34 years later. The only piece of the puzzle that never seemed to fit was his devotion to Scientology, which would lead to his acrimonious departure from South Park after nine seasons voicing the beloved Chef, and at least one regrettable LP release ("The Joy of Creating - The Golden Era Musicians and Friends play L. Ron Hubbard," featuring the musical talents of fellow adherents Chick Corea and Doug E. Fresh (!)). The rule of threes suggests the grim reaper isn't yet done with his dirty work. Sam Jackson just wrapped on Soul Men, co-starring Mac and Hayes. Just keep a third eye on any hungry smart-sharks sneaking up behind you, Sam, is all we're saying.

[With thanks to Dr Ned, M.D. for the photo.]

• Isaac Hayes, 65; innovative singer, composer changed pop music with hits like 'Shaft' [LAT]
• Dr Ned, M.D. [Tumblr]

• Bernie Mac dies at 50 [Chicago Tribune]
• Bernie Mac- Bad Ass Kids [YouTube]

Sophia : In Sicily, we never went to the doctor. We went to the Widow Scarpelli. Whatever you had, she had a cure for it.

Sophia : She was most famous for her green salve to cure earaches. One day, she gave some to Salvadore, the village idiot. He misunderstood the directions and put in on his pasta instead...The stuff tasted great, so Salvadore decided to market it. At first, things didn't go so well. Ear Salve on Pasta wasn't very appetizing-but once he changed the name to pesto sauce, it sold like hot cakes! Dorothy: Ma, you're making this up! Sophia : So what? I'm old, I'm supposed to be colorful.

Carlin was a social commentator, an aggravator, and an etymologist, but first and foremost, he was funny. The routine to which he'll be forever associated was "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television," (full text here), which wasn't necessarily his best, but would wind up getting him arrested in Milwaukee in 1972 on obscenity charges, instantly elevating the bit to the pantheon of Sacred Dangerous Comic Texts. The routine's airing on New York radio would later be cited by the U.S. Supreme Court in a 1978 ruling on FCC broadcast fines. No reactionary comic could ever have asked for more.

Gawker collects seven memorable monologues, including "Seven Words," rightly observing that there would be no Lewis Blacks or Bill Mahers—or Bill Hickses, for that matter—without Carlin. But for us at least, it was in his simplest observations about language—such as in this classic bit above contrasting the blithe terminology of baseball to football's inherent fascism (parks vs. stadiums, caps vs. helmets, ups vs. downs)—where his true genius was on display.

• How George Carlin Changed Comedy [time.com]
• George Carlin mourned as counterculture hero [AP]

• Pledge to Hedley Lamarr [YouTube]
• 'Carol Burnett' star Harvey Korman dies at 81 [AP]

• Star of 'Jaws' and 'All That Jazz' [LAT]