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In The Invisible Enemy episode of The Outer Limits (1964) astronauts aren't wearing their spacesuits on Mars because it was shown that the atmosphere on Mars is breathable. They are at the beginning, but later on they're not. Why is that?

It is because in '60 it was believed that the atmosphere on Mars is breathable, or because of something else?

My question is whether it was known that the air is not breathable, but it was only for the show, or whether at that time it was believed it was breathable, that's why they did it for the show.

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    Sounds like you really mean to ask "Why are spacesuits unnecessary on Mars?" It's appears from your question that the in-episode makes a claim that the atmosphere on Mars is breathable, so the answer to the title question is "Because the atmosphere is breathable in the show"...
    – Catija
    Feb 15, 2017 at 21:26
  • Also... I don't see a point in time where the characters are not in space suits when outside? Is the clip incorrect?
    – Catija
    Feb 15, 2017 at 21:29
  • @Catija It's just in the intro, later they're running on Mars in sweaters and jackets.
    – kenorb
    Feb 15, 2017 at 21:30
  • Right, but this clip doesn't show that... which makes it seem not very helpful. Is there another clip that shows them outside without suits?
    – Catija
    Feb 15, 2017 at 21:31
  • It's just showing that the guy is opening his helmet.
    – kenorb
    Feb 15, 2017 at 21:32

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My question is whether it was known that the air is not breathable, but it was only for the show, or whether at that time it was believed it was breathable, that's why they did it for the show.

No, it's just for the show

It's been known since the 19th Century that Mars' atmosphere is not breathable.

Wikipedia

Spectroscopic analysis of Mars' atmosphere began in earnest in 1894, when U.S. astronomer William Wallace Campbell showed that neither water nor oxygen were present in the Martian atmosphere.

Although the planet in the show is Mars, the episode was based on a short story* by Jerry Sohl, 'The Invisible Enemy', which was first published in Imaginative Tales magazine in September 1955. That story takes place on the fourth planet of a faraway star not Mars.

*Wikipedia

Obviously, when the story was adapted the writers just plugged in Mars not caring out scientific accuracy but preferring the story.

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    Would the downvoter care to comment?
    – Paulie_D
    Feb 15, 2017 at 21:56

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