Did people actually used to believe wrestling was real?

I was born in 99 so by the time I watched wwe it was pretty universally known it was scripted. But when I watch things or wrestlers talking about the old era they always say things like they were never allowed to break character or kayfabe to the public because people thought the fights and feuds were real and I just don’t see how that’s possible. Just wondering if anyone here actually thought it was real and what broke it for you.

Edit: I understand thinking it’s real when you’re younger I’m more talking about how they were expected to keep up kayfabe in bars and when people came back stage and stuff because those are adults they are interacting with