In 1953, he was able to get a small film role next to Romy Schneider in "When the White Lilacs Bloom Again". In the same year he played, as he would often do from then on, next to his mother in Shakespeare's "Richard III". After small movie parts during the 1950s, Götz George broke through with audiences and critics in the film "Jacqueline" (1959). George was awarded the Bundesfilmpreis and the Preis der Filmkritik for his role. In 1962 he received the Bambi Award as the most popular actor.