Was Orson Wells a few bricks short of a load?

No – not at all. He was a very accomplished actor and film director. The beginning of The War of the Worlds states that it is rendition of an H.G. Wells story but most listeners didn’t hear that and panicked.

First off, it’s WELLES not WELLS link

Second, for an interesting look at his work, see the movie Citizen Kane link based on the life of William Randolph Hearst. Besides being a good story, it’s very well done – Welles was the director, producer, and played the main character as well. Superbly done.

So… he was a genius at moviemaking.

Was he crazy? No evidence to say so.

Was he brilliant? Lots of evidence.

Guess I got the idea he was nuts from the cape and cane get up he always wore.

Those affectations were pretty much trademarks of the man rather late in his life. The thing about Welles that is truly extraordinary is the scope of his life, which is in fact so broad, that as far as I know, no one as yet has produced a biography of the man with even an inkling of its breadth. The more competent folks who have attempted the undertaking, all come away admitting that a comprehensive telling of Welles life and adventures would require decades of scholarship and volumes in the telling.

Being theatrical and/or dressing peculiarly are not generally indicators of insanity or stupidity – they tend to be signs of creativity, imagination, nonconformity, individuality, artistic temperament, etc.

Oh and his Wikipedia page linked above is very incomplete as to his work. See Welles’ IMDB filmography page for more of his work.