US Release date: 19 April 1949
First Melbourne Saturday Suburban: 8 July 1950
Genre: Adventure
Country: USA.
Running time: 72 minutes.
Director: William Berke
Cast: Johnny Weissmuller, Myrna Dell & Elena Verdugo
Australian Distributor: Columbia Pictures
Melbourne Premiere Venue: One Week at Union’s Liberty Theatre from 28 April 1950 with Arkansas Swing as support.
Suburban Release Type: Union 4-W-2
Rankings
| Rank | ||
| EF Points | 69 | 275 |
| EF PPE | 2.76 | 194 |
| Metres Travelled | 251,525 | 296 |
| Average MT | 10,061 | 202 |
| Engagements | 25 | 294 |
| Slots | 37 | 283 |
| Weeks | 12 | 102 |
| Weeks as % of engagements | 48.00% | 98 |
| Saturdays | 12 | 185 |
| Sats as % of engagements | 48.00% | 113 |
| Tuesdays | 1 | 337 |
| Tues as % of engagements | 4.00% | 342 |
| First billed | 2 | 223 |
| Second billed | 23 | 132 |
| Feature only | 0 | 34* |
Independent ratios
| Engagements weeks 1-10 | 24 |
| Ratio | 96.00% |
| Difference to chain ratio | 9.33% |
| Eng weeks 11-26 | 1 |
| Ratio | 4.00% |
| Difference to chain ratio | -3.62% |
| Eng weeks 27-52 | 0 |
| Ratio | 0.00% |
| Difference to chain ratio | -5.71% |
| Hoyts eng | 1 |
| Ratio | 4.00% |
| Difference to chain ratio | 3.16% |
| Independent eng | 22 |
| Ratio | 88.00% |
| Difference to chain ratio | 10.89% |
| Suburban eng | 2 |
| Ratio | 8.00% |
| Difference to chain ratio | -14.05% |
NOTES: The second of Columbia’s Jungle Jim series, The Lost Tribe actually racked up more EF points that its predecessor. But that is faint praise as this entry was only programmed 25 times. I presume that its best positioning was as a Saturday matinee item. As it played the Union chain nearly half its engagements were full weekly screenings, mostly with We Were Strangers.
The Lost Tribe engagements
| SUBURB | VENUE | CHAIN | DATE | W | D | B | CO-FEATURE |
| North Carlton | Adelphi | Independent | 8/07/50 | 1 | S | 2 | We Were Strangers |
| Burnley | Burnley | Independent | 8/07/50 | 1 | W | 2 | We Were Strangers |
| Richmond | National | Independent | 8/07/50 | 1 | W | 2 | We Were Strangers |
| St. Kilda | Astor | Independent | 8/07/50 | 1 | W | 2 | We Were Strangers |
| West Brunswick | Western | Independent | 15/07/50 | 2 | S | 2 | We Were Strangers |
| Brunswick | Empire | Independent | 15/07/50 | 2 | W | 2 | We Were Strangers |
| Caulfield | Camden | Independent | 15/07/50 | 2 | W | 2 | We Were Strangers |
| Moonee Ponds | Moonee | Independent | 15/07/50 | 2 | W | 2 | We Were Strangers |
| Westgarth | Westgarth | Independent | 15/07/50 | 2 | W | 2 | We Were Strangers |
| Essendon | Regal | Independent | 22/07/50 | 3 | S | 2 | We Were Strangers |
| Balwyn | Balwyn | Suburban | 22/07/50 | 3 | S | 2 | We Were Strangers |
| Brunswick East | Liberty | Independent | 22/07/50 | 3 | W | 2 | We Were Strangers |
| St. Kilda | Memorial | Hoyts | 22/07/50 | 3 | W | 2 | The Lucky Stiff |
| Preston West | Rivoli | Independent | 29/07/50 | 4 | S | 2 | We Were Strangers |
| Sandringham | Roxy | Independent | 29/07/50 | 4 | S | 2 | We Were Strangers |
| Newport | Plaza | Independent | 5/08/50 | 5 | S | 2 | We Were Strangers |
| Williamstown | Empress | Independent | 5/08/50 | 5 | S | 2 | We Were Strangers |
| Coburg | Plaza | Independent | 5/08/50 | 5 | W | 2 | We Were Strangers |
| Heidleberg | Orient | Independent | 5/08/50 | 5 | W | 2 | We Were Strangers |
| Preston East | Gowerville | Independent | 5/08/50 | 5 | W | 1 | Air Hostess |
| Port Melb | Port | Independent | 12/08/50 | 6 | S | 2 | We Were Strangers |
| Oakleigh | Plaza | Independent | 12/08/50 | 6 | S | 2 | We Were Strangers |
| Box Hill | Rialto | Suburban | 19/08/50 | 7 | S | 2 | We Were Strangers |
| North Melbourne | Central | Independent | 9/09/50 | 10 | T | 1 | Secret Of St Ives |
| Coburg West | Progress | Independent | 23/09/50 | 12 | S | 2 | I Was A Male War Bride |
The 1950 Project 