"I'm a product of the late 60's...My parents were into this harmony thing and I think that's what I'm about in my disposition." 

The product of a bi-racial union, Shemar's name is a derivative of his parents' first names, his mother, Marilyn who is white and his father, Sherrod who is Black. "...They believed their love was real. It didn't matter about color. You could mesh and there could be harmony. They wanted their child to be a product of that...so they took the first three letters of each name - She-Mar and that's me, baby!" 

Together, his parents strove to give their child a sense of balance and peace. But, it was his mother, Marilyn who shaped Shemar into the man he is today. Marilyn made certain that home stayed constant, even when extraneous circumstances threatened its stability. 

"There's been a strong sense of harmony within the structure of my family. My mother made it apparent in how I was taken care of, loved and shown support. I was taught to believe in myself, and not think I was different because I wasn't of one race. That's my whole thing. I know I can't save the world, but I can stand on that sense of integrity - treating all as equal." 

Webster defines harmony as a consistent, orderly, or pleasing arrangement of parts. Shemar's mix of good looks, great body and infectious charm is accentuated by his intellect. 

Always the driving force in his life, Shemar's mother made certain that her son was equipped with the proper tools to succeed in life. She insisted that before she cut the apron strings, Shemar graduate from college. So, attending Santa Clara University on a baseball scholarship, he graduated with a degree in Liberal Arts. 

Shemar was tempted to pursue his degree at Howard University, but was dissuaded, by among other things, the weather. "It's too cold and I would have been on the ten year program because the women at Howard were ridiculously beautiful...You'd expect me to pay attention to my books?" 

A well-known connoisseur of beautiful women, Shemar wisely chose the safer school. He finished Santa Clara with a 2.8 GPA; a feat in which he takes great pride. "I've got all these friends who say that I was an 'honor this and honor that.' -- It was an honor for me to graduate." 

Yet, no matter how much Shemar jokes about school or his grades, he believes that earning his degree is one of his greatest accomplishments. 

"I look at my degree and wonder how the hell but it's part of me now. I wouldn't have this type of success if I hadn't graduated." According to Shemar, college is discipline and builds character. "A degree shows the world you can complete a project, "...you can stick it out and take direction. You can pay your dues. You've done your time." 

Shemar applies these lessons from college in everything, especially his career. "I don't want you to give me anything. I want to deserve it...earn it. Because if you give it to me, you can take it from me, but if I earn it, it's mine...Don't give me an Emmy unless I truly earn it." 

Shemar knows he's blessed. His harmonious blend has propelled his career into a natural, uninterrupted progression; however, the ills of Hollywood are persistent. Gifted Black actors are seen as simply that -- Black. And while this is a deterrent for many, Shemar refuses to accept it as final. 

"People limit themselves There is progress. Kristoff St. John (Neil on Y&R) opened the door for me. If not for his talent, there would have been no need for Neil's little brother, Malcolm. I think we have a long way to go. Yes, we fill stereotypes. I'm a Black man, but my story is different from other Black men. Hollywood hasn't put it out there for the masses to consider it all, so there's stereotyping and limits in the roles we get to play because of the roles presented." 

Shemar takes the plight of the Black actor in stride and concentrates on the big picture. "I have a big plan, but I go day-to-day. I envision a goal I want manifested in five years, then I break it down...In this business, if you slip, you could fall off." That's highly unlikely for the young Mr. Moore, or shall we say "Sir Harmony."