Home to Harlem · Character

Billy Biasse

A poolroom gambler and wolf of Harlem's sporting scene, Billy trades in gossip and needling, and no buddy's reputation is safe from his tongue.

supporting

Also known as Billy

First appearance: v on the job again

As a supporting figure in Home to Harlem, Billy Biasse is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Nicknamed 'the Wolf,' Billy teases Zeddy about being a 'skirt-man' and boasts about his own independence from women.

In the storyVII: Zeddy's Rise and FallOpen this moment free

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Billy Biasse moves through the saloons, poolrooms, and buffet flats where Jake's Harlem luck gets made and unmade, one of the buddies who ease round to the short side of the bar. His specialty is the teasing that cuts: he's among those who rib Zeddy Plummer for being kept under 'Gin-head' Susy's skirt, turning a friend's private life into public joke. That casual cruelty marks him as the social world's weather vane — wherever Billy's talk runs, the reader learns what Harlem will and won't forgive.

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See Billy Biasse in v on the job again

Character Web

19 connections

A slice of how Billy Biasse sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Other

Character groups

Harlem Nightlife Core
Protagonist
Rival and Foil

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

The emotional peak occurs when the narrator, stripped of his last private space and forced into a crowded, sha…

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In the story

Billy Biasse appears across 7 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

VII: Zeddy's Rise and Fall
Nicknamed 'the Wolf,' Billy teases Zeddy about being a 'skirt-man' and boasts about his own independence from women. He is present at the Congo, where he sits with a longshoreman and a made-up 'doll baby.'
Interlude
Meets Jake at Uncle Doc's, encourages him to drink, and helps him home after his pain attack.
XV: Relapse
Calls the doctor for Jake and later helps with Jake's move.
XVI: A Practical Prank
Brings Jake his mail, including a letter from Madame Laura, and helps him plan the prank.
A Farewell Feed
Pays for the farewell feed; shares a drink and conversation with the group.
Spring in Harlem
Accompanies Jake, comments on the fight, and advises Jake to carry a gun for protection.
The Gift That Billy Gave
Joins Jake and Felice at the cabaret and buys them champagne as a gift.

Chapter companion notes

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See Billy Biasse in v on the job again

See Billy Biasse in VII: Zeddy's Rise and Fall