The Tod Jonson collection spans the years 1957-1967 and encompasses 1.75 linear feet. The collection consists solely of unproduced screenplays and teleplays apparently collected by Jonson but unrelated to his career. There is no consistent theme to the scripts, though many are either crime or science fiction stories, and a number are set in Mexico. Authors represented are Leon Capetanos, Robert Clouse, Steve Fisher, Ib Melchior, Arthur C. Pierce, Victor Stoloff, and Richard Tregaskis. In addition, there is a script co-written by actor J. Carrol Naish and a script based on a story by actor Charles Bronson. Some of the scripts eventually may have been produced under different titles, though only "Devil with a Halo" is likely to have been an early draft of a produced film, SANTEE (1974).

Tod Jonson worked in the theater as a set designer before entering the film industry in the 1960s. He worked as an art director and/or set designer on three Paul Mart Productions distributed by Manson Films: SINDERELLA AND THE GOLDEN BRA (1964), MARINE BATTLEGROUND (1966), and WILD GYPSIES (1970). On the latter, Jonson collaborated with Ektor Carranza, with whom he had created backgrounds for numerous Holmes Theatre stage productions, including "The Ruth Warrick Show." Jonson also worked on the SHIRLEY TEMPLE STORYBOOK television series. In the 1970s he was employed at Key Films in Los Angeles.