07/01/2026
For a generation of Tulsa children, afternoons often meant one thing: Big Bill and Oom-A-Gog on Channel 2.
Long before hundreds of cable channels and YouTube, local television personalities became trusted friends in our living rooms. Big Bill (Bill Boyd) and his lovable robot sidekick, Oom-A-Gog, entertained young viewers with cartoons, jokes, skits, birthday greetings, and plenty of laughs. For many Oklahoma kids growing up in the 1950s and 1960s, watching the show was simply part of childhood.
These locally produced children's programs were a special era in television. Every city seemed to have its own beloved host, and Tulsa was fortunate to have one of its own. The show created memories that have lasted for decades, with many viewers still recalling racing home from school to catch Big Bill and Oom-A-Gog on Channel 2.
This photograph captures a piece of that golden age of local television—a time when stations produced programs specifically for their own communities and children felt as though the people on the screen actually knew them.
Do you remember Big Bill and Oom-A-Gog? We'd love to hear your memories. Did you ever appear on the show, celebrate a birthday on television, or visit the studio? Share your stories in the comments!