The collection consists of about eight hundred jazz and popular compositions arranged for studio recordings and radio or television programs. There are arrangements for full orchestra, large and small jazz ensembles, and some brief sketches. Forty-one of the works are original compositions by Henderson, including some commercial jingles, and short arrangements for station breaks or television cues. Several of the pieces are unpublished. Many of the arrangements were for NBC radio shows such as The Ethel Merman Show, The Henry Morgan Show, The Steve Allen Show, Serenade to America, U.S. Steel Hour; and television programs such as the Tonight Show, and Academy Awards and Emmy Awards shows. Many of the arrangements in the collection are by other notable jazz musicians such as Deane Kincaide, Tommy Newsom, Zito Torrie, Doc Severinsen, Pete Rugolo, Fletcher Henderson and Neal Hefti. Several of the pieces in the collection can be heard on albums by popular vocalists or under his own name. Some noteworthy items from the collection include an arrangement by Tommy Newsom of “Hello Dolly!” for a 1964 Benny Goodman recording; score and parts for the Tonight Show theme that includes the original 2-bar drum intro; an arrangement of “Weather man” by Fletcher Henderson; several unpublished original compositions by Skitch Henderson; Several works have exhibit numbers attached to them, apparently having to do with the litigation in New York over tax evasion charges in 1974. The sound recordings consist of nine 16-inch transcription discs dating from 1946 to 1948. A number of the recordings are performances of arrangements in the collection.
