Maureen Hingert

Maureen Neliya Ballard, formerly known as Jana Davi, was a multi-talented individual from Sri Lanka, born on January 9, 1937, in Colombo, Ceylon. Her parents, Lionel Hingert and Lorna Mabel del Run, were of Dutch Burgher descent, and her father worked at the Bank of Ceylon. Maureen attended the Holy Family Convent in Bambalapitiya, Colombo until she turned eighteen, and later pursued her college education in Los Angeles, California, USA.

In 1955, Maureen won the Miss Ceylon beauty pageant, earning the opportunity to represent Ceylon in the Miss Universe 1955 pageant. She made history as the first Ceylonese contestant to achieve recognition at the Miss Universe pageant, securing the second runner-up position. Her success in the competition brought pride to her country, which was then known as Ceylon, and she was regarded as a symbolic ambassador for the nation.

Aside from her beauty pageant accomplishments, Maureen was also a skilled dancer and performed solo acts at prestigious venues in Los Angeles, including the Shrine Auditorium.

Following her Miss Universe journey, Maureen signed contracts with Universal International Studios and 20th Century Fox. She appeared in various films, including "The King and I," "Fort Bowie," "Gun Fever," "The Adventures of Hiram Holiday," "Moroccan Halk Moth," "Pillars of the Sky," "Dangerous Search," "Gunmen from Laredo," and the British TV Series "Captain David Grief." Some of these films credited her as Jana Davi.

In 1958, Maureen married Mario Armond Zamparelli, an American designer and artist known for his association with Howard Hughes' empire. Together, they had three daughters, one of whom, Gina Zamparelli, gained fame in arts and entertainment and actively participated in historic preservation efforts. Unfortunately, Gina passed away in 2018.

After divorcing Zamparelli in July 1970, Maureen married William J. Ballard in Los Angeles in 1976. Tragically, William Ballard passed away in 2012.

Maureen Neliya Ballard's life journey encompassed diverse talents and experiences, leaving a lasting legacy in the worlds of entertainment, beauty, and cultural representation.