In 1923, Novello made his American movie debut in D. W. Griffith's "The White Rose". The same year, he starred in "The Man Without Desire", among other British films. He next co-wrote, produced and starred in the successful 1924 play "The Rat". The play was made into a film in 1925, which was so successful that two sequels followed in 1926 and 1928. His dramatic roles in the West End included the title character in the first London production of Ferenc Molnár's "Liliom" (1926).