[1] Beyer studied philology, and graduated with the dissertation Livsgleden som problem i Ibsens diktning, which was published in the journal Edda in 1948.

[3] Beyer was appointed professor in Nordic literature at the University of Oslo in 1958, succeeding Francis Bull.

He was the Norwegian editor for the Scandinavian project Verdens litteraturhistorie (twelve volumes, 1971–1974).

He edited the collected works of Hans E. Kinck (18 volumes), and the short story anthologies Perler i prosa (1966) and Norske noveller (1967).

[2] In the same year he received the Fritt Ord Honorary Award.